


Pomegranate Flowers

by amarettobronislaw



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Renaissance, Eventual Fluff, F/F, F/M, GoT-type Houses and Realms, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Knights - Freeform, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, cottagecore oops, very loosely inspired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 38,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25241851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amarettobronislaw/pseuds/amarettobronislaw
Summary: Rey loved the spring.The burst of colour after a long winter gave her such joy, it screamed of life and vitality, and she thrived in it. The dusty, humid summers were tiring, the scorched ground shrivelling plants as quickly as they had appeared, and was nothing like the feeling of rain on bare skin.Rey continued to pluck flowers as she went, her cotton shawl draped over her shoulders against the fresh breeze on the air. Her simple yellow dress dampened as she brushed through the dewy grass, but she took no mind, smiling at the sensations of the plants at her fingers.-Rey's life was about to change. Her simple life on the outskirts of Jakku is over as she is plunged into a world of decadence, politics, desire, and danger.All that she had ever known was to be rewritten; the truth of the Empire she once believed in is to be shattered.And amongst it all, his eyes remain.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Phasma (Star Wars)/Original Female Character(s), Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Reylo
Comments: 86
Kudos: 171
Collections: Reylo Hidden Gems





	1. Dark Blooms

Rey added a small bunch of clover flowers to her basket.

Her long skirts whispered against the tall grasses of the meadow, her hands brushing the feathered seeds. She gazed at the greenery around her; the tangles of brambles and wild roses surrounded by a blanket of wild flowers, the vibrant colours of spring shining in the morning sun. 

Rey loved the spring. The burst of colour after a long winter gave her such joy, it screamed of life and vitality, and she thrived in it. The dusty, humid summers were tiring, the scorched ground shrivelling plants as quickly as they had appeared, and was nothing like the feeling of rain on bare skin.

Rey continued to pluck flowers as she went, her cotton shawl draped over her shoulders against the fresh breeze on the air. Her simple yellow dress dampened as she brushed through the dewy grass, but she took no mind, smiling at the sensations of the plants at her fingers. Her day off meant she could spend all day uninterrupted in the wilderness outside of the town's limits, wandering and drinking in the day.

Her job at the bakery often had her working from before dawn, so to spend her morning outdoors was a rare pleasure. Smiling as a robin perched on a nearby tree, Rey thought of the gorgeous bouquets she could assemble for her cottage on the edge of town. While no one would see them apart from her, she would appreciate the colours in her home. Her loneliness sometimes bothered her, but a life of solitude suited her lifestyle and she could find happiness either way.

As she reached a familiar stream on her way, she noticed a strange patch of flowers she had never seen before. Approaching the banks of the stream, she saw they had large, bruise-coloured needles in the place of petals, similar to thistles she had seen before but bigger and much darker in colour. They were beautiful.  
Rey cautiously touched a thick stem, trying hard not to injure herself on the spines for fear of being poisoned. When she found a good grip, she plucked the not thistle. Tucking her hair behind her ear and looking closer at the deadly beautiful flower, she noticed the gradients of purples and blues up each spine, the elegant twisting of the leaves and the deep crimson colour of the sap. They were so different, yet so breathtaking.

Looking further down the stream, she noticed more patches of the blooms, growing more and more frequent. What trouble was going slightly off-route? So she started down the trail, plucking some more of her new discovery as she went. 

Too her delight, she noticed more and more unusual plants. How she had missed these before she didn't know. Sea green stems yielded heavy crimson blooms with huge petals. Trees with bark so dark they seemed to leech light from the air. Blue grasses grew thick and wild, much stouter and hardier than the soft green grasses she was used to. Large, dark wings whistled through the canopy, and every time she snapped a twig something would rustle in the nearby undergrowth. 

So absorbed with the beauty of her new found plant life, she was deep into the woodland before she realised her surroundings had changed from open meadows to a thick forest. Where was she? She wasn't aware of any forests this dense and deep in the kingdom, and wondered just how far and for just how long she had been wandering. The trail had gone from a gravel path to barely a person-wide strip of bare ground amongst the grasses and ferns. Eyes of unseen creatures watched her, and she hoped wolves did not frequent these woods.

As the trees grew closer together and Rey's basket was filled up, the woodland darkened. Looking up, Rey could scarcely see the sky through the canopy high above.  
Just as she was about to turn around for hopes of making it home before dark, she heard the thunder of horses hooves on the ground. 

Turning in all directions, Rey tried to glimpse the riders, the noise growing without any sign of them. Twisting, she saw movement ahead.

Her heart pounded as she realised they were heading straight for her. She hasn't done anything wrong, she has nothing to fear... But she was in unknown land ruled by unknown authority, and who knows who these people are.

As they approached, she could see them more clearly. Clothed all in black, they almost blend into the wood. Mounted on huge black warhorses, at least 7 or 8 men gallop towards her, all masked in heavy black armour that concealed any human features they might have. One in the lead shouts to the other riders as they come closer, and nods in response to the reply one gives him. Were they bandits? Slavers? Her thoughts raced along with her heart.

Taking a wary step back, Rey shivers. They don't even look human. Her thoughts drift to tales of faerie riders prowling the skies in search of wanderers to draft into their everlasting hunt, whisking them away in an instant. She dismissed the idea. There were worse threats in the forest than faeries.

They slow as they reach her, the mounts tossing their heads. Circling her, she notices a clear leader emerge from the centre of the guard.  
His cloak is edged with dark crimson, as is the black leather of his horse's saddle and reigns. Silver detailing adorns his helm, carving out the dark iron in a way Rey had never seen before. At his side was sheathed a greatsword, it's glitteringly dark steel pommel glinting with the light of encrusted rubies and opals. His towering stature, noticeable even when mounted, cast a dark shadow of Rey, and she shivered not just from the cold. 

Still, as they came to a stop around her, none spoke a word. She glanced around nervously, swallowing as she saw the extensive weaponry they all carried; all types of battleaxes, swords and polearms were waving at the ready by their sides. Each deadly pair of eyes were on her, and she had no idea what to do. 

"M-my Lords.. Ho-how can I be of service?" She cast her eyes to the ground and gave her best curtsy, sure that at least the leader must be of some noble house. His gem encrusted weapon must have cost more than all the money she had ever owned.  
A few chuckles were heard. Eyes darting, Rey prayed she had not offended.

"You are not from around here," Came a rumbling voice. It surprised her so much she look up and directly into the leader's concealed face, certain the words had come from him. 

She quickly righted herself, returning her gaze to the floor, "No my Lord, I come from the town of Jakku."

A few of the guardsmen shifted, glancing at their leader, but Rey continued to feel his eyes on her.  
The man (who still had not introduced himself, Rey thought with a little annoyance) seemed to think for a second before replying. She could not see him but could sense his indecision.

As she waited she noticed the sparse light penetrating through the trees turning warm as sunset begun. How had she managed to get so sidetracked?

"You will not get home before nightfall, come back with us to the castle and I will provide shelter until you can leave tomorrow." He finally spoke.

Her head snaps up. What? 

A mysterious and borderline terrifying tree of a man came out of nowhere and expects Rey to trust him just like that? What sort of world did she wake up in that morning? The man had already started to turn away to lead his men as hot anger surges through her blood.

"Excuse me but-" She starts loud, but stops herself as the man's gaze catches her again. "-But I, er, don't even know who you are. My Lord," She throws in at the end, but she cannot deny the irritation at the man's throwaway assumption that she will do exactly as he asks. Not if she can help it.  
"Why should I go with you? I'm not so simple to trust without thought." Her words were laced with venom now, who does this man think he is? She can take care of herself thank you very much, and if he thinks she will be so easily tricked he is dead wrong.

He stares at her. This time she does not shy away from his gaze, determined not to back down.  
The silence stretches for what seems like hours. Rey keeps her face stony, but prays her words do not earn her her demise.

Suddenly, a strange noise comes from beneath the mask. At first Rey wonders if he is choking, but then she realises. He's laughing at her.  
Before she can react, he reaches up to take off his cloak, revealing the sigil on his breast. Rey heart sinks and her mouth falls open as see realises who she has been talking too. 

The sigil is embroidered with blood red silk against the black velvet of his jerkin, a pointed cross with a crescent moon shape atop it, within which a livid red circle sits. 

The symbol of the house of Ren.

Rey had just mouthed off to the ruling Prince of Hades.


	2. Into the Darkness

She was paralyzed. What the hell does she do now?

A member of royalty in a realm she did not realise she had entered offered to house her at his castle and she had not only rejected him but implied he could be some sort of criminal. From what she heard of the mysterious ruler, she was lucky to still be breathing. Honestly, she wasn't sure how she hadn't figured it out before. 

Prince Ren and his knights were fearsome warriors, known for their ruthlessness and lack of mercy. The all black uniform of the Knights of Ren was a symbol of terror; people whispered that no-one had ever seen their faces, and that they were horrifying, subhuman monsters under their helms. Even outside of the battlefield, Ren was said to be bloodthirsty in the rule of the realm of Hades, executing anyone who dared put a toe out of line. 

She had known that Hades bordered to the east of Jakku, but she had never seen riders or tradesmen pass through Jakku from their direction, so had assumed they were much farther east. The knights themselves were terrifying, but seeing them in the flesh Rey reflected on how many of the monstrous traits the songs say they have are far exaggerated.  
Rey realised she was still standing staring at him and fumbled for words.

"Yo-your Highness I am sorry -I... I didn't mean you any offense, I swear I had no idea-" The words spilled out as she fumbled another curtsy.  
His tone did not seem angry, "I must insist you stay at the castle, it is not safe in these woods at night." His blunt tone left no room to argue though, as the dark eye holes of his helmet burned into Rey's face.

She felt a flush creep up her neck, as much as she willed it away, and she could only nod a confirmation. Why the hell not?  
Still half disbelieving any of this was real, Rey looked around uncertainly at the knights surrounding them. Was she to share the saddle with one of them? If so she'd much rather walk. 

Wordlessly, the Prince nudged his steed next closer to her and held out a hand. She blanched. 

"Your highness, I-I couldn't possibly-" 

"My horse is most suitable for the weight of two riders," He grunts simply, not moving, but she heard the impatience in his voice and was not going to press him further.

Tentatively she takes his hand. Beneath thick leather gloves she could the thick muscularity and power of his hand, his large fingers completely covering her much smaller ones. Taking a deep breath she swings herself up to sit behind him, yelping slightly as he yanks her up with one arm.  
He takes her basket of flowers, securing it to the saddle with a surprising gentleness. 

Her face bright red now, Rey is glad he cannot see her. He shifts forwards slightly to allow her room to sit comfortably. Almost flush against his broad, hard back, Rey wonders how her embarrassment has not caused her to spontaneously combust yet, as the heat in her cheeks suggests she is nearing that point. 

Realising she is still gripping his hand with unnecessary force, she hastily lets go. The next thing she realises, is that she must put her arms around the man's waist if she does not want to fall off. If possible, her face gets redder. 

Slowly, she gently places her arms around him. He radiates heat through the chainmail she feels him wear under his jerkin, and her arms barely reach fully around his muscular torso. He seemed to pause for a second as he feels her arms about him, but he briskly sets off anyways, making Rey wonder if she had imagined it.

His attitudes so far have been confusing, his intimidatingly large frame and the bump of his huge sword's pommel against Rey's arm were constant reminders of his power and reputation. But his strange brusque nature, his clashing gentleness, his soft chuckle, they all seemed to conflict with this perception, making Rey unsure of how to act or how to truly judge him. The wall of his helm was also present, masking his emotions effectively. She couldn't even tell how old he was, it was unnerving. 

He quickly kicks his horse into a gallop, forcing Rey to clench her arms around him and press her chest and head into his back in an effort not to fall off. The reality of what seems to be happening jolts into Rey. 

She's riding through a dark forest with her arms wrapped around a Prince to a place she have never been. Bewilderment fades into excitement. Before today she had never left Jakku, let alone the realm of the First Order, and now she is in a completely different world, racing towards a brand new town with a brand new castle and brand new people.  
Jakku was really just a backwater town on the outskirts of the kingdom; flat, dry and poor. The noble house was the Plutts, with Lord Unkar Plutt the protector of the town, by title anyways. The family dwelling was the Niima Outpost, a small, squat sandstone castle that was home to all of the Plutt's dirty businesses, mainly scavenging and loans. 

Hades was said to be obscenely wealthy, the mountainous lands rich with gemstones and precious metals. The landscape already seemed so different, the tough sprawling woodlands contrasting with the flat meadows and plains Rey was used to. 

As she gets more used to the movements of the horse, she takes the time to observe the forest as it races past them. The light is orange now, streaming in its dying glow through branches of the endlessly tall giants of trees. She glimpses rabbits and birds fleeing the pounding of their horses, more life in these forests than Rey had ever seen in the dusty expanses of her home. 

The knights thunder at their front and rear, protecting their Prince and Lord faultlessly. Light gleamed on their weapons dangerously, while their forms remained cloaked and menacing. They never utter a word, simply falling into step with the Prince with a synchronised precision. She shivers slightly, still unnerved by their silent and mechanical presence.

Ren himself remains focused on riding, Rey feels his even and measured breaths under her arms. She secretly enjoys his warmth as wind catches her trailing hair and whips against her face, but the fact that she is closer to him than she has ever been to any man in her life despite only meeting him 20 minutes ago sends her head reeling.

-

As the minutes of riding turned into hours, Rey's legs began to burn. Their party did not slow their punishing pace; the horses foamed at the mouth with exhaustion, and Rey hoped for their sakes they would stop soon.

The blue colours of twilight had fallen, but the concealing force of the trees mimicked a much later time. The noises of small animals grew louder, owls swooping high in the trees, readying for their nightly hunt. 

The drop in temperature had Rey clutching even tighter to the Prince's waist. She thought she felt his arm twitch as she tightened her arms, but brushed it off as her tired mind playing tricks.

Just as Rey started to worry that she would drop off to sleep and fall from the saddle, the trees around her started to thin.  
They emerge into open ground, slowing to a trot on the gravel road, and a great city unfolds before them. Rey gasps at the sight.

Nestled into a valley below a looming mountain, hundreds of houses and buildings lit with sparkling dots of light surround a towering dark castle. The boundaries of the castle edge onto a massive lake, which reflected the deepening blue of the sky, and the stars that were slowly emerging. All laid out before them like a picture in a storybook.

Rey had never seen so much water. The lake stretched away and deep into the valley, further than they could see, even from their vantage point above. Roads bled into the mountains, Rey assumed they led to the mines that provided the area's wealth.

The closer they rode, the more beautiful Rey found it. She felt her jaw hang open but could not muster the strength to close it.

"Welcome to the city of Starkiller," Came the low rumble of the Princes voice, his head turned slightly so Rey could hear him, before he quickly refocused his attention to the road ahead.

As the party reached the streets, the people they passed knelt at the sight of the Knights. Rey felt a few curious eyes on her and wished she hadn't chosen such a bright yellow dress that morning, as pretty as the colour was. 

The clothing the people wore here was different to what she was used to, many keeping to the jewel tones of the ruling houses of Hades. Rey only knew of the house of Ren in this realm, but there were just as many in this vast kingdom as in her own.

Technically, Hades was annexed under the rule of the First Order, but King Snoke had never managed to fully control the kingdom, so they kept their status as a separate realm. That's why they had a Prince, not a King like a fully separate country would have but not a simple Lord like the sectors of the First Order's Empire. But that was the extent of Rey's knowledge of Hades.

Through the town Rey noticed the wealth of the houses increase, from cottages and shacks like her own all the way to the towering multi-floored housing of the inner city. Most of the buildings were formed of an unusual black stone, the same colour as the overhanging mountains.

And in the centre, the castle.

It was taller than any structure Rey had ever seen. The sharp architecture made the whole palace look deadly. Impossibly tall towers pierce the sky above the main structure, which itself was sprawling. 

The gates were guarded by white armoured men, again with helmets covering their whole faces. That seemed to be a trend in this kingdom. They opened the huge wrought iron gates at the Prince's approach, standing to attention in perfect form. 

Rey stares in wonder, questioning once more if any of this is real, her head tilted back to try and take it all in.

"And this," The Prince says, "Is the Finalizer."


	3. Black Stone

After dismounting in the courtyard, a fumbling process which had Rey flushing as she grasped his hand, Ren and his guard of knights made their entrance to the castle. The looming doors were opened by unseen hands into a cavernous great hall.

The rough black stone of the walls gleamed in the torchlight, the knight's heavy boots clicking on the white marble of the floor and echoing about the room. Rey tilted her head back to try and see the ceiling, but it was so impossibly tall that in the low light she had only seen stretching darkness. The torch holders along the walls were burnished silver, inlaid with glinting rubies, which flickered with the flames. They seemed to burn cold, as the stone belly of the castle absorbed any possible heat they radiate.

And at the end, was the throne. A huge mass of black iron spread out like a spider from the floor in huge curved spikes, all centred around an elevated chair which dripped with shining silver that reflected the blackened iron. 

Rey realised that she had stopped in the doorway, and hurried to catch up with the knights. Ren was striding towards the throne, muttering commands to the knights as they branched off through different corridors off the hall. Finally they were left with two knights, Rey and the Prince. Without stopping his march, or even looking at Rey, his voice booms from beneath his mask;

"You will be shown to your accommodation, dinner is to be held in 2 hours," He pauses his pace, now a few steps from the throne. "Do not be late."

Rey blinks, standing there awkwardly. One of the knights walked with Ren, while the other stopped behind Rey. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling his oppressive force. Something about his dismissive attitude tugged at her, causing the sharp prickling of anger to crawl up her throat.

She had just opened her mouth when Ren took his place on the throne. The empty darkness of his helm's eye slits locked on her face. Rey's throat promptly closed up and she shut her mouth.

"Is there... a problem?" He was lounged on the chair like he owned the world as he watched her, and here, he did. Rey drank in the heavy black boots wrapped around his calves, and the rich, leather breeches hugging his thighs. His midnight velvet jerkin fit snugly over his similarly coloured ribbed shirt, proudly displaying his house and noble name. His arms rested on the throne's arms, one bent at the elbow to rest his still-concealed head on.

With the mask on, he looked dangerous. An at ease predator who had all the power here, barely giving any attention to the prey within his reach, but not letting it escape his gaze either.

Rey realised she had been staring. 

"N-no," Wow. Eloquent. Rey turned away, a flush once again creeping up her neck. What was happening to her? 

The knight started walking, Rey followed, glancing back. Ren was still looking at her, his emotions hidden by that damned mask. She watched those holes in his mask, the last thing she saw before she was enveloped by the dim light of the corridor.

They had walked through twisting corridors that seemed almost endless, the cool expanses of stone stretching out before them. The few windows they passed had given Rey glimpses of the lake, the moon reflected in it in the darkness.

The knight finally opened the door to a room after a long trek up a spiralling staircase, which meant Rey was staying at the top of one of the smaller towers of the castle. Once she was inside, the knight shut the door and left without a word. Could they even talk at all? 

The room had the same rough walls as the rest of the castle, but with rich navy tapestries hung over them. A small window was on the far wall, showing the deep and endless waters of the lake. It was as cold in this room as it was the rest of the castle, the fireplace opposite the bed unlit, and the stone leeching any warmth the torches could provide.

A four poster bed at in the middle of the room. It was bigger than any she had seen before, and she excitedly sunk into it, the goose feather duvet giving wonderfully under her fingers. This sort of luxury was a far cry from her humble cottage, each new wonder made her question the truth in what she was seeing. 

Looking at her dress, muddied from her day of riding and wandering in the wilderness, she hoped she wouldn't have to throw it away after this, it was one of her favourites.  
Looking around from her position on the bed, she realised a dress had been lain on the bed. It was the same dark crimson of the bedspread so she hadn't noticed it at first. She wondered how someone had had time to put it there before she got to the room.

Holding it up to the light, she saw it was nothing like what she would ever choose for herself; the dark crimson and black of the Ren house in a heavy silken fabric with long sleeves. It was far more suited for the colder temperatures of this realm than her light cotton gown. She was still hesitant though.

Putting on this dress meant she would not even have her bright yellow taste of home with her. Yes, this place was incredible, but it almost felt like a step too far to abandon her old colours so readily.

In the end, Rey kept her yellow dress on. It was a comfort to her, despite the cold.

Touching various things in the room absentmindedly, Rey thought of the mysterious Prince. He seemed a mixture of conflicting moments, one minute the bored, arrogant royal, and the next a quiet, gentle person. Apart from how he had acted around her, she still knew absolutely nothing about him, not age, not his family, not what he looked like. If only he would take that helmet off, at least then she could get a more accurate read on who he was as a person.

With a jolt, she remembered she was meant to have dinner with him. He would have to take off the mask to eat. The thought made her slightly nervous, but also excited in a way that confused her.

Also, how was she meant to know that two hours had passed? Was someone to collect her? He had been rather vague with his instructions. And what was she meant to do in those two hours? 

After having a quick look around the room for something to do (the bedside table and chest of draws were empty, save a few dead bugs, she assumed guests were rare here) she found nothing, and decided to go for a wander around.

There was a whole castle, and while she was pretty tired, Rey wasn't going to risk a nap in case she did not wake for dinner. Her hunger won out in that fight.

Peeking her head into the corridor, she saw no one. For a castle of this size, she had hardly seen anyone, servants or otherwise. Wasn't the whole kingdom ruled from here?

Descending the spiral staircase, she wandered through the corridor, taking a different route to the one she had taken there. As she went on, the corridor opened up to a small courtyard, similar to but not the same one they had left their horses in earlier. 

It was a small, square patch of hardy mountain grass with a small cluster of bushes and a tree in the middle. A bench, made of a similar wrought iron to the other metal fixtures of the castle, sat facing the small patch of growth amongst the great stone fortress.

Rey gazed up at the night's sky above her. The full moon made the grass shine silver, the knotted and wind-bent tree a deep midnight blue. At least the sky hadn't changed since yesterday. 

Rey thought of returning to her town and her cottage tomorrow, and was surprised at her own indifference to the thought. She assumed she would love to return to familiarity after her brief adventure, but she was reluctant to leave it at that. Now that she had a taste, she just wanted more.

Rey sighed, still gazing at the moon. It almost looked boxed in, with the walls at the edges of the courtyard forming a square around it.

Suddenly, Rey had the distinct sensation of being watched. Turning sharply, she came face to face with those dark eye slits once again.

Ren stepped from the shadows of a corridor, sword gleaming red at his side and heavy cloak draped over his shoulders. Here, alone and in the pale moonlight, rather than in the flickering of flame in the hall, he looked serene, less like a hungry creature and more like a man.

"What are you doing here?" He said, with a startling softness to his low voice.

Rey felt calmer with this version of him, a sense of peace that came with the small patch of nature enveloping her senses.

"Just wandering," she replied gently, looking again to the tree, stunted by the cold but older than it's height suggested. "This place keeps yielding more surprises."

"Why didn't you change your dress?"

Rey looked down at the stained yellow fabric, all of a sudden self conscious of the ruined garment, "I am rather attached to this colour."

He moved next to her to look at the tree. He towered over her, radiating more heat than anything else in the castle, and Rey couldn't help but sneak a glance at his masked head. What did he look like under there?

He turned to look at her, catching her gaze.

Quickly turning, the flick of his cloak snapping Rey from her thoughts, he barked; "Wandering is not smart. Come, dinner is served." And disappeared down a corridor.

Stunned at the sudden change in attitude, Rey stared after him, before realising she had no idea where the dining hall was and picking up her skirts to hurry after him.


	4. Forbidden Fruit

Running deep into the halls of the oppressive castle, Rey would barely catch sight of the edge of Prince Ren's cloak as it whipped around the next corner. She huffed, holding her dirtied skirts in an attempt not to fall flat on her face.

Did he have to make this so difficult? He could just as easily walk at a reasonable pace but instead, she was out of breath and in real danger of smacking face first into the unyielding marble of the floor. 

Her annoyance was stirred again, and reflected that today seemed made for making her angry. Or maybe it was just the Prince? And what was that strange conversation in the courtyard (if one could even call it a conversation)?

Turning a corner, Rey was still grumbling under her breath when she suddenly arrived in the dining hall. As with most places in the castle, it was enormous.

The room was long, with the biggest fireplace Rey had ever seen, stretching across the whole end wall. Between her and the raging fire was a long table of black varnished wood, with the end closest to the fire seating only two people she had never seen before. Its occupants were staring at her dishevelled appearance in the doorway, and she realised how hard she was breathing.

Trying to control her lungs, Rey smoothed her skirts and lifted her head, refusing to be intimidated by the stares. Ren was striding ahead of her to the end of the table, where she assumed he would take his place at the head. The two waiting there barely acknowledged him, keeping their eyes on her.

She cleared her throat and began to move, feeling tremendously out of place. Ren sat and nodded to each of his companions. 

The one to his right was a ginger haired man, slim and tall and paler than ice. He regarded her with a slim eyebrow raised and a slight sneer on his lips. His grey eyes held only calculating coldness. His stiff posture spoke of years of etiquette training, a highborn through and through. She knew the danger of these types, their snake tongues their most effective weapon.

To Ren's left sat an even taller figure in blinding silver armour. Their shining helmet, which quite contrasted to the styles of the knights of Ren and the prince's himself, sat on the table next to them, but it was only when Rey got quite close that she realised the armoured figure was a woman. 

She had short blond hair, almost silver in the firelight, and piercing blue eyes that were as sharp as any sword. Her shoulders were broad and strong, her head held in similar noble stature to the redhead, but it suited her better, making her look regal rather than pompous. She radiated power, not just in her muscular body, but seemingly from her very actions even as she sat there.

While shocked (she had never seen a woman in trousers, let alone in armour), Rey fought to keep her face straight. As she approached the only other set place on the table, next to the armoured woman, the two strangers stood to greet her. 

The woman went first.

"Captain Phasma, my lady, of the city guard." She towered over Rey, and nodded respectfully in her direction, looking her up and down with a guarded expression. Rey wished she had put on the dress laid out for her, squirming under her gaze. 

"Lord Chancellor Hux. Charmed." The ginger man said, his lip pulling up in a way that either mimicked disgust or a mocking smile, Rey couldn't decide which was worse. She returned a weak smile and curtseyed the best she could.

"I'm Rey, my lords," she glanced up nervously, " my lady."

Hux sat with a sniff, obviously above the conversation. Phasma sat too, moving her helmet so it would not be in Rey's way. She awkwardly sat down on a plush chair, uncomfortable in the whole situation. Ren still sat unmoving.  
He gestures with a flippant hand, and suddenly servants seem to spill from the walls. 

Jugs of wine and plates of food are delivered, dazzling Rey with their abundance and rich scents. A roasted hog was the centre piece, stuffed with dark berries and spices that stain it's charred flesh purple. Spiced vegetables and platters of fruits join it with haste, the servants so agile in their movements Rey barely saw them. 

The three nobles began carving meat and spooning food with a disinterest, ignoring the workers around them.

If Rey had felt out of place before, it was nothing compared to this. The luxury of it all, gleaming there in front of her; more food than she had ever seen in her life, and it was just an evening meal to them. 

Realising she had not touched any of the food, she tentatively took some fruits from a plate, too nervous to presume to carve from the beast in the centre. She used a fork that she was sure was worth more than her cottage to pick at the strawberries on the plate.

The windows around them began to tap with rain amongst the low conversation, the sound slowly growing as the rain grew heavier.

Ren had started to talk to Phasma in low tones while she had been distracted by the food, and Rey realised he had not taken any food, let alone take his helmet off. Rey feels a drop of disappointment, and confusion. Her curiosity had only grown since their meeting and by now she was itching to reveal what was beneath the threatening visor. 

She stopped, a strawberry halfway to her mouth. Who was she to be thinking such things of the ruler of a kingdom? Rey had known her for one day and they had shared roughly 10 words between them, so why did she feel such strong curiosity? She shook her head slightly, biting into the berry, there was no point dwelling on such thoughts, she would be on a horse away from here tomorrow.

Rey looks up and sees flinted grey pointed in her direction. Hux was looking at her. 

"Who are you?" He says suddenly, his gaze relentless and icy as he toyed with a small morsel of the hog.

"R-Rey, my lord," she says, uncertain of what he wants, she had already introduced herself..

He rolls his eyes, "No, what do you do? Why are you here?" 

Oh. "I'm a baker," Rey wasn't sure how to explain why she was here, she was barely sure herself, "I wandered too far into the woods, and his highness kindly brought me here as I would not have made it home before dark."

He glanced at Ren with more interest than he had shown thus far. The Prince was watching with silent attention, his conversation with Phasma over.

"And where is 'home'?" The ginger man asked.  
"Jakku, sir."

Silence. Hux turned to Ren, his expression unreadable. Phasma had abandoned her meal, her gaze just as clouded as Hux's. Rey was confused by the rising tension. Had she said something wrong?

It was Phasma that broke the silence.  
"Well we are glad to have you," She fixes the other two with a stern look. "Forgive their manners, it has been a while since we have had guests."

Ren turned to Phasma, and then shifted his gaze to Rey.  
"Tell me about your family."

That was not what she was expecting. All eyes were on her now as they waited for her to answer. Blanching, Rey stumbled for an answer.

"Um, I never knew my parents, they left when I was young," Rey swallowed. "I was raised by the local baker."

Hux stood up, his chair scraping on stone, and eyes blazing. "Phasma. A word."

They leave, bowing slightly to Ren. Rey glanced at the Prince.

"Why did you want to know about my family?" She asks softly, gaining confidence as the two out of three of the judgemental pairs of eyes leave. 

He tilts his head, looking down at her from his position at the end of the table. "You never mentioned a last name."

Rey looked down uncomfortably. "My father was supposedly a bastard of a noble from outside the town, so we never had a name, your highness."

Ren seemed frozen, his mask facing her. She continued to stare at him. It was grating at her now.

"Could you take of your helmet?" She blurted out. Her eyes widened as she realised what she had said. How rude was she going to be to this man? 

He remained still for a moment.  
"What?"

Now it was her who was frozen.  
"I-I just-"

He stood and walked to the nearest corridor, anger clearly present in his forceful strides.

Still, Rey saw red. Who does he think he is? She just asked a question, was that illegal here?

"Wait!" She went after him, having to run to keep up with his long paces.

He didn't stop, ignoring here completely. This made her anger rise further. What was his problem? Her small gripes throughout the day had built up, and she couldn't let it go this time.

She kept yelling after him, chasing him once more through the castle's belly. The twists and turns meant nothing to her now, her focus on confronting that man-baby of a Prince.  
"Stop! I just want to talk to you!"

Suddenly she's hit by a sheet of water, instantly freezing her to the bone. 

They were back in the courtyard. The rain was falling at such a horrendous rate now that it was difficult to see more than a few metres in front of her. But she could still see the dark outline of the Prince before her.

He had stopped at the other end of the courtyard, seemingly at her yelled command. Breathing heavily, she walked towards him through the rain.  
"Why did you follow me?"

She hardly caught his words through the heavy fall of rain. It wasn't aggressive; he still had an edge to his voice, but he sounded more surprised.

She moved closer, hoping to hear him better.

"I just wanted answers," She says, raising her voice so he could hear her. " None of this makes much sense and I.... I just needed to..." 

She trailed off, unsure what exactly she needed.

Rey stared at his back in the light of the moon once more. It reflected on the water droplets around them. She was more confused than ever. Some strong emotion was stirring inside her, somewhere beyond her isolation and fear. She needed it more than anything, but what was it?

Ren lifted his hands to his helmet. His thumbs click some locking mechanism, his gloves protecting him from the water running off the smooth material of the helm. 

He lifts it off of his head. She sees dark waves of hair, immediately dampened and plastered to his neck.

He turns. Rey cannot help but gasp. 

His pale complexion gleams under the moon. A prominent nose, smatterings of moles, long brown waves that look black with water. And his eyes. Dark pools of molten brown, framed by long eyelashes that cling to moisture. 

He looks so... sad.

She stares at him, drinking in his features, aware that she was growing colder by the minute but not caring. 

He was beautiful.

"Stay here." 

The words ring in her ears. Did she imagine them?

"You could stay.... in the castle."

She definitely saw his lips move that time. It was real. 

"Why?" She barely gets the word out.

He blinks. Ren doesn't have an answer for her. 

She has one for him.

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has commented/left kudos/continues to read!! I hope to continue updating regularly (I don't have much else to do at the moment lol) and I'm very excited by the things this story has yet to reveal. I hope it does not disappoint!!
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> -Amarettobronislaw xx


	5. Crossroads

Back in her room, Rey stared at the vaulted ceiling from her overly plush bed.

What had just happened?

What had possessed her to simply hand her life over to this man just because he asked her? What had the Prince even asked?

She flushed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes.

Had it even happened at all? No, her ruined, and now soaked, yellow dress was a testament to that. This time she was grateful for the nightgown that had replaced the prior dress laid out for her. 

Feeling the heavy maroon velvet she now wore, Rey reflected on how it was more luxurious than her best dress back at home. And it was just a nightgown. The sheer opulence of everything here was ridiculous; even if she stayed here three lifetimes, she doubted she would get used to it. 

Was that what she had agreed to? Did she sign her whole life away? Or just for a short while? The Prince had not been very specific.

And the Prince.

“Stay here.”  
The words echoed in her head.

She suddenly stood and walked to the window, shaking herself from her thoughts. A small table stood there; a bowl of fruit placed upon it’s elegantly carved surface. She sat in the chair next to it and fiddled with the knife placed near the bowl for the fruit.

Was this what she wanted? Whatever trance had fallen over her hadn’t left her time to think before agreeing. It had almost been instinctual. 

The utter opulence of the Finalizer was entrancing. The lifestyle here was more than she could have dreamed of in Jakku; what she had seen in an evening was just so different. But was it what she wanted?

She could leave, take a horse and ride home by night. Leave this world of courts, decadence and royalty, just live her simple life in her cottage. The world of the rich was no doubt a dangerous one, and who knows the intentions Prince Ren has for keeping her there. There was also the reactions of Hux and Phasma to her, there was certainly something there that Rey was missing.

Rey picks out a pomegranate from the bowl. It’s bruised purple flesh is stretched to bursting over it’s contents. She takes the knife to it, splitting the skin and letting the seeds spill onto the table.

She doesn’t have to stay. She could even ask to leave the next morning, there was no reason or firm agreement keeping her here, spare the will of a young prince. Finally seeing his face, he was much younger than she had expected…

She shook her head again. She was not thinking about that. 

She pushed the seeds about the tabletop, looking at the magnificent view out of the window. 

It didn’t matter that she had no reason to stay. 

After seeing all of this, how could she leave?

Rey slowly brought the pomegranate seeds to her mouth, savouring their sharp sweetness as she bit into them.

As she had nothing keeping her in Hades, she had nothing keeping her in Jakku. No family, barely any friends, sure the baker would wonder about her, but women disappearing in such a town wasn’t uncommon. She would move past it.

She could have a new life. New opportunities, new people, new prospects. She had no idea what Prince Ren wanted of her, but whatever was in store for her had to be more interesting than her 6-day working week back at home, nefarious or not. And, realistically, she saw no malice in his eyes when he asked her to stay.

Motivated by the sweetness of the fruit and the cut-short dinner, Rey hungrily ate the rest of the pomegranate, each pop of bitter-sweet juice inducing her ravenous appetite further.

She stopped when she reached for another mouthful and withdrew empty handed. Rey realises the juice had run down her chin and coated her hands. She hoped none of it had stained the nightgown, she would have no way to replace it. 

Shivering, she looked out into the dark night, wondering what time it was. The stone of the room had leeched enough heat from her that she missed the embrace of the bed.

Washing her hands in a basin to the side of the bed, she scooped up the water to wash off her face. 

She was going to stay. Why not? This place was amazing, an adventure, and despite her reservations about the two courtiers she had met, Phasma and Hux, she was sure there were plenty of people she would meet that would be both more pleasant and less scary.

And Ren… She wasn’t sure what to make of him. Their brief conversations had been strange, either enraging her or enthralling her. She would have to find his true colours, and the first layer had already been removed. 

Seeing his face seemed almost a dream, and Rey wondered whether she remembered it right despite it only occurring… hours ago? Minutes? Here were no clocks in the room, nor had she seen any throughout the castle. How did people keep the time in Hades?

Rey crawled into bed and drew the covers up to her chin, sinking into the softness of what had to be the most comfortable bed in the world.

What ever waited for her in the morning, she would embrace. She was not stopping now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one today, sorry! Work caught me off guard.  
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xx


	6. Glistening Waters

Rey woke to the smell of hot food.

Worming out of the heavy covers into the chilled air of morning, she sees a tray piled with eggs, bacon and fresh bread along with a new dress lain on the end of her bed. Whoever it was leaving these things in her room had to be the sneakiest person alive, Rey had not seen or heard a trace of them so far.

She shuffles the tray onto her lap, scarfing down it’s contents, her late-night pomegranate forgotten. 

Getting up, she finds a pitcher of water on the table by the window, along with a glass vase of flowers. Her flowers she realised; from the basket she had picked yesterday morning. That felt like years ago now, an entire world away. 

Her basket was on the chair, a neatly folded cloth laid in it’s base. She had completely forgotten it in the rush of all that had happened but was glad she had a piece of her home with her. 

Dressing in the gown laid out for her, Rey marvelled at it. If she had thought the nightgown was nice, this dress was beyond opulent.

It was a deep navy fabric that flowed like silk over a heavier black woollen layer, with bell sleeves long enough to almost reach the floor. Intricate swirling floral patterns were embroidered about the waist, shoulders and neckline in silver thread. She put it on carefully, scared of doing damage to something so utterly beautiful.

It fit her well, and she wondered who it had belonged to. 

Rey left her room, thinking of what to do now. Normally she had a strict schedule to stick to, her job at the bakery taking up most of her hours. Ren hadn’t told her anything about what she was doing here, so she thought she would try to find him and ask. 

There had to be some purpose for her being in Hades. 

Walking through the labyrinth of the castle’s corridors, Rey tried to remember the way to the throne room. It was pretty hopeless though, as each stretch felt the same as all the others; stony, torchlit and cold.

Eventually, she arrived at the courtyard near the front of the Finalizer. Not quite where she was aiming for, but it served her purposes well, as she saw the Prince and his knights at the stables. Gathering up her courage, Rey approached.

They were preparing their horses to ride, and it was one of the knights who first spotted Rey. He leant in to say something to Ren, who turned to see her.

Rey swallowed and kept going, disappointed to see his helmet back in place. She could still see his face, dotted with moles and surrounded by a mane of dark hair. He was again wearing full black, no cloak this time, but his huge ruby hilted greatsword, which Rey hoped she would never see unsheathed, hung in it’s usual place at his hip.

“Your highness,” Rey curtsied as she got closer, avoiding the mud on the ground. They regarded her in silence, Ren giving her a slight nod as he looked down on her. She kept forgetting how physically huge he was.

“I was wondering if I could talk to you your highness, if it’s not too much trouble.” She said, glancing between the hidden eyes of the men, wishing she could see there faces not for the first time.

Ren considered her.

“Can you ride?” He gestured to the horses. Rey nods. The baker had a small horse for delivering goods, which she had ridden occasionally as a girl. She hadn’t ridden in a while though, as they had to sell it as money got harder to come by.

She is handed a hefty saddle by a knight, and stumbles at the weight of it. A stable hand brings her a dappled grey mare, tall and lean, that tossed it’s head with a snort.

Rey tentatively pressed a hand to her neck, feeling her soft fur and the warm rush of blood beneath. She stroked the horse for a few more seconds until she had calmed and gotten used to Rey’s touch. 

As she secured the saddle and bridle, she glanced towards the Prince, to find the dark eye slit of his helmet trained on her. He quickly looked away, mounting his own dark bay stallion with a swift swing of his leg.

Rey continued to prepare her horse, shaking away a strange feeling. Mounting the mare, she joined the small party as they headed through the towering gates.

They headed in the opposite direction than they entered the castle yesterday, heading towards the lake instead of deeper into town. The streets turned to a well-trod track into the grassy wilderness around the lake. Bordered by trees and mountains on one side, and the expanse of water on their left, they slowly trekked deeper into the country, the sky a bright white colour as the sun burned through the clouds. 

Rey had no idea where they were going or for what purpose, but she didn’t forget her original purpose.

Spurring on her horse to catch up with Ren at the head of the party, slightly in front of his company of knights, she fell into step next to him. 

“Why am I here?” She asked, not wanting to dance around pleasantries with a man who finished a conversation 20 words after it started. 

He kept his head forwards; “Because we brought you back here yesterday.” His tone monotonous.

Rey stared at his profile, not expecting snark from a member of royalty. 

“What I mean to say is, why ask me to stay?” 

He still doesn’t look at her. “Does it matter?”

Now she was getting angry, her voice betraying her; “Your highness, forgive me but I do not believe that, so it’d be much appreciated if you just told me what I’m doing here.”

There’s silence for a second and Rey is stabbed with the fear that she had offended him, but then a low chuckle came from under his helm, and she breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I think you’re the first person I’ve met in years that will actually tell me what they think.” He says, mirth still present in his voice.

The comment surprises her; but, she thought, it must be common when you’re a Prince for people to only tell you what they think you want to hear. That must get tiring.

“Well, I doubt you’ve kept me here for good company, but you do seem in need of that if that’s true,” She smiled, liking the way he sounded when he laughed. It broke the icy exterior he seemed to keep when around his court.

“You are more perceptive than most, Rey from Jakku.” He says, turning to fix her with the pits of his helm, before facing the road again.

Hearing his name on his lips made her suppress a shiver. Rey really wanted to take off his mask again. Were his eyes really as captivating as she remembered? She would much prefer talking to him when she could read his face.

She knew he wouldn’t while they were still around his men, so she came up with an idea. If he didn’t play along, it wasn’t very smart, but what did she have to lose?  
She lent closer to him, her eyes dancing.

“Race you?” He had barely turned his head when she was off, hear streaking behind her as she pressed her heels to her mare’s flanks.

She laughed into the wind as she heard the thunder of hooves behind her, getting closer every second.

Trees whipped past her as she gazed at the lake, more and more of it’s great surface being revealed from amongst the looming mountains as she rode on. Soon they were neck and neck, Rey grinning as they kept galloping. 

Eventually they slowed at a part of the track that wandered close to the bank of the lake, and Rey leant to watch her reflection as it rode past.

They were both breathing heavily as they fell into a slower trot. They rode in a comfortable silence for a time, Rey gazing at the spectacular view of the lake to their left. The knights were left far behind, but Rey assumed they would catch up at some point.

“How much do you know about Hades?” Ren finally broke the silence, his head still facing the mountains that stood, sentinels, over the lake.

She shrugged, “Not much, I know that it was annexed by Emperor Snoke rather than absorbed into the Empire of the Order like the rest of the kingdoms due to rebellion from the country.” 

She realised that ‘from the country’ meant from him.

He turned to face her, considering what she had said; “Not quite.” 

There was an edge to his voice. Rey was confused. 

“The way Snoke portrays it is not the truth. I knew him well, once.” Ren paused, looking down then back up the track, “It was me, Hux and Phasma who were behind the First Order’s military strength when we conquered the continent.”

Rey stared. That was not what she expected.

“Once we had what he wanted, he did not want to share it, so staged a mutiny which forced us to take residence in Hades. He allowed it to keep it’s status as a country so he could name it mine as a ‘reward’” He scoffed, “But restricted our right to hold any army or navy, leaving us unable to do anything to defend ourselves.”

Rey tried to process the information. Being raised in the Order was always being taught to look up to it, that the stability and hard rule of law brought by the conquest of Snoke was something to be thankful for; that protected the sectors. And while Rey was never 100% supportive of the Emperor’s way of ruling, Ren was tearing a large hole in the image she had grown up curating.

“So,” she started, struggling to put it together in her head, “Your highness, you’re saying you, Hux and Phasma had control of the whole Empire, and Emperor Snoke stole it?”

“Kylo.”

“Pardon?” What he had said was so soft she thought she had misheard.

Ren looked at her. “My name is Kylo.”

Rey was getting whiplash with this man.

“Oh,” she said, oh so eloquently.

He continued, “Yes, unfortunately he could promise more stability and wealth to our men than we could, so they turned in a second.”

His voice held bitterness, but also sadness. He had trusted them, Snoke included.

“That’s not fair.” Rey blurted out. Kylo laughed.

“No, it’s not.” He agreed.

He seemed to be getting distant again though, which Rey was not allowing. This man just grew more and more interesting.

“What about your family, Kylo?” She said, trying out the new name.

He visibly tensed up, “None of your concern.”

She had hit a nerve there. “I didn’t mean- “

“I will hear no more of it.” He growled, the closed off Prince returning in an instant. She knew by his tone not to press it; she did have a small sense of self preservation.

Rey heard hoofbeats behind her as the knights caught up. Guess that conversation is over. They took a turn into the treeline, doubling back in he direction of the castle.

They spend the rest of the ride in silence, Rey falling back as the Prince pushed his horse faster. Navigating conversations with him was dangerous, she never knew what string she would pull that would cause his mood to drastically swing. 

When he opened up though, she saw a glimpse of someone else, someone she wanted more of. His Prince persona enraged her, showing her only the arrogant lordling people said he was, but it was all show.

He had once been at the head of the most successful military in the world, but that had been taken from him. What other secrets did he keep to his chest?

Soon they emerged from the forest, hooves clicking as their terrain went from dirt to cobbles. Their return to the castle was swift, and as soon as they were through the gates a messenger ran up to the Prince, bowing clumsily in his haste.

Rey didn’t hear what he said, but by the Prince's haste to dismount it seemed important. His mount was handed to a stable hand and he rushed off without a second glance, several knights in tow.

She dismounted, looking after him. Was he always like this? She thought she already knew the answer to that question. 

She went to take the saddle off her mare, but a knight approached her, casting a shadow.

“I am to take you back to your room.” He grunted; voice muffled under his helmet. A stable boy swiftly took over care of her horse. Looks like she didn’t have much of a say in the matter.

Sighing, she nodded, following the knight as he led her inside. It seemed close to midday now, the ride had been long.

They passed the great hall on their way to her tower, in which she saw Hux talking to some other courtiers she had not met. As she watched his eyes found hers. As with the last time she saw him, they looked cold.

She gave an awkward smile, hoping to gain some favour with him. He seemed pretty important in the court. All she got was a raised eyebrow, before his attention glazed over her, returning to the sharp features of the woman in front of him. 

Never mind then. Rey felt her fake smile twitch in irritation. She wasn't sure what sort of grudge the man held against her, whether it was plain classism or something else. Either way he did not seem very pleasant and she couldn't say she was sad they wouldn't be conversing regularly.

When they arrived at her room once more, she was left without a word from the knight, as expected. Looking around, she decided there was no way she was sitting in her room waiting for someone to call on her.

What was the use being in a castle if one can’t explore it?


	7. Tip of the Iceberg

And again, Rey finds herself walking the halls of the Finalizer.

She was starting to pick up the way to navigate the maze of raw stone walls, with the corridors getting wider the closer one got to the throne room, the centre of the castle. 

She hoped to find this central area, as she felt exploring the many branches of the castle would be easier starting from the hub of the network of corridors.

As she made her way towards the great hall, peeking out each window as she passed to try and judge her position, Rey heard voices. Not wanting to interrupt, she slowed and craned her neck to see round the corner, hoping to figure out who it was and whether she would be better off going a different way.

In the next corridor she saw a dark haired girl in servant’s clothes, around Rey’s age or older, who giggled at the low-spoken words of a knight, who’s silver-armoured form faced in the opposite direction to Rey so she could only his back and cropped golden hair. Ah.

Rey smiled at the laughing girl as the towering knight leaned in and touched her face with compassion she hadn’t yet seen since entering this realm. Rey had started to think that everyone here held the same stony demeanour as the landscape suggested. It was nice to see something human.

Rey moved back the way she came so as not to disturb the tender moment but ran straight into the unlit torch sconce on the wall beside her, making the loudest crashing sound possible as the torch fell from the wall.

She heard a gasp and a sword being drawn. Rey cursed her clumsiness.

Rey stepped around the corner before the knight could slice her to pieces; “I’m so sorry I don’t mean to-“ She stopped as she saw the knight’s face.

Captain Phasma lowered her sword, as the servant girl gaped, flushing with embarrassment behind the Captain of the City Guard.

“Do pardon me, my Lady,” Phasma said, sliding her sword into her sheath. Her blue eyes gazed down at Rey coolly, as if challenging her to say something, stepping protectively between Rey and her companion.

Rey curtsied the best she could. “No, it was my fault, my Lady, I apologise for intruding.” She replied, getting over her shock as quickly as she could, giving a small smile that she hoped would show Phasma she held no ill will against her.

She had heard of women who preferred the company of other women, but of course such relationships were not common, and much less publicly known. Phasma’s position high in the court would be jeopardised by such actions elsewhere, but Rey wondered if Hades had less oppressive opinions on the matter for the couple to be expressing affection so boldly in a public place.

Phasma nodded, placated, and turned back to the other girl, who gave Rey a weak smile before taking the Captain’s arm and speaking in a hushed, sweet voice to the warrior. Phasma’s face immediately softened talking to her. 

Their obvious affection gave Rey a weird pang of jealousy. They seemed so at ease together, so… in love. She shook the feeling away.

Rey turned and walked back the way she came, hoping another corridor would lead the same way. The strange sensation she had felt while watching the lovers bothered her; why had she reacted in such a way? 

While she had always been lonely, she had never felt the specific desire for romantic love, she had never really considered it. None of the men of her town, or even the women, had ever caught her attention in a way that stuck. She had appreciated beautiful people before, but this time she felt a longing from deep down that she couldn’t explain.

Whatever it was, it could wait. She emerged from the dim hallway into blinding daylight, the sun at it’s highest point by now. After blinking for a few seconds, Rey’s eyes adjusted, and she saw she was back at the stables. Not quite what she was aiming for, but, again, not the worst outcome.

Approaching the stalls, she found her sweet dappled mare again. Grinning, Rey stroked her nose through the door.

“Hi again,” she whispered to the animal. Riding her that morning had been a welcome respite from the inanimate nature of the castle. It reminded her of the wildlife of her home. Or was the Finalizer her home now?

With a spike of annoyance, she remembered she had gotten exactly no answers from seeking Ren out, the ride distracting her from his quick evasion of her questions. How she was going to spend more than a few days in his presence without breaking down in anger she did not know.

Yet, if she could tempt out that other side of him, maybe this would be bearable. 

Rey was startled from her thoughts by a stable boy wheeling a small cart of hay behind her. He glanced at her, gave a curt: “Milady,” then carried on his business. People addressing her as a noblewoman was still new to her.

Suddenly, Rey had a thought.

“Excuse me? Could I ask you something?” She said cautiously to the boy. He was quite a bit younger than her, possibly 15 or 16. 

He hesitantly puts down the cart to look at her; “Of course milady.”

“Rey, please, I’m not a Lady,” she says. He seems to relax a little. “I am new to this kingdom, what do the people here think of Prince Ren? What is his government like?”

She was interested to learn the consensus here, as, considering what Ren told her about Emperor Snoke during the ride, the First Order's view of Hades and it’s ruler were mostly constructed from propaganda.

The stable boy looked around nervously before responding, as if scared to be overheard.

“Well, most say that his highness hordes Hades’ wealth to himself,” His voice was hushed as he leans in to speak, “He tries to hide behind his mask to look intimidating but has tantrums to rival a child’s.” Rey could see the boy’s dislike of the ruler in his face. Was it true? 

“So, the wealth from the mining trade, do the people not benefit from it?” Rey asks, shocked.

He shakes his head, “Ren’s knights collect high taxes on all of it, leaving just enough to pay the workers wages. Force knows what he uses it on apart from his luxuries in his palace.”

Rey was aghast. She had assumed all of Hades was as lavish as the castle, if the gemstones from the surrounding mines were as plentiful as she had heard there was no need for steep taxes. 

Her anger grew along with the boy’s; she had the impression Hades was ruled in a fairer fashion than the dictatorship of the First order, but it seems that she was wrong. While she didn’t want to believe that Ren was a spoilt boy king, his tender moments speaking of something deeper, the opulence of the castle was a testament to it.

The stable boy went back to his work, leaving Rey deep in thought as she resumed stroking the mare’s long face.

What else had she missed in her wide-eyed perception of the kingdom? Was it really some grand adventure or just her old life dressed up in silks and velvet? Was the sneering condescension Rey had felt from Chancellor Hux the most truthful thing she had seen since she had arrived?

Feeling to annoyed to be around people right now, Rey walked around the back of the stables, along the grass outside of the castle walls but still within the looming palisade enclosing the gardens of the palace.

She kicked at the grass at her feet, wading deeper into her thoughts as she continued around the garden and into the shadow of the castle. After a few minutes, she shivers, out of the midday sun for too long. 

Then, in the wide expanse of the stone walls of the castle, she sees a door. Rey had now walked far enough down the west wall of the castle that she was sure she would be no where near her room if she went through that door, far deeper in the castle than she had gone before. 

But, somehow, she felt she had to use that door. It was a dark, decaying wood, bolted with back iron that had lichen embedded in it. Trying it, she found the rusted iron stiff. Unusual for the Finalizer, which was normally pretty spotless. Finding a stick nearby, Rey used it to pry up the latch of the door, using all of her might to push it open.

The resulting corridor she stumbled into was almost pitch black, and colder than outside. Rey still felt she had to go on though. Whatever was hidden this deep in the castle, she wanted to find it. She needed to find it.

Almost in a trance, Rey walked forwards, twisting with the uneven turns of the narrow corridor and almost tripping with the strange upward curve. It seemed to go on and on.  
As she came to another door, just as old and heavy as the last, she did not think before pulling it open.

It opened behind a tapestry, which Rey had to wiggle sideways flat to the wall to move past. Beyond it, was a bedroom. 

Bigger than Rey’s, but with no windows and sparser furniture, it felt like a tomb. While it was clean and much more well kept than the corridor she had entered through, it was so much more oppressive than the rest of the castle. The hangings and the bedspread were all black, no accents of red or blue. Embers burned in a grate at the far end of the room, but there were no carpets to keep the heat in. 

Rey fumbled to find a candle on the lone dresser by the bed and lit it with the embers, trying to see details of the room more clearly. Something about the whole space, however, made her want to run madly and never look back.

Something else, though, kept her there.

Looking back at the tapestry that covered her entrance, Rey saw long gashes in the heavy fabric. They decorated a tall wardrobe as well, one of the doors hanging off to reveal pure black clothing within. Fear tossed Rey’s stomach. Who lived in this horrible place?

Using the candle to guide her in the darkness, she moved across to the other side of the room, where she found two doors under her fingertips. She was drawn to the one to the left, and she stepped through it without thinking.

This room was smaller and almost completely bare. She felt the source of whatever had pulled her there pulsing from the centre of the room. It was the scariest thing she had ever felt, yet she continued to move, unable to tear her eyes away from it.

There, upon a pedestal, was a helmet. Warped and twisted from some incredible past force, the black iron stared up at her, seeming to call to her.

She reached out. As soon as her hand touched it, a wave of dilapidating anguish hit her like a wall. 

Rey sank to her knees, tears rolling down her face, overwhelmed by waves upon waves of terror, rage and grief.

She couldn’t think, she couldn’t move.

Screams filled her head. She thought she was screaming herself, but couldn't tell over the horrific bombardment of sound in her head

Then, something ripped her hand away.

She gasped like a drowning man raised to the surface, the ocean of misery immediately sucked from her form.

Instead, gripping her arm, without his mask, was Ren.

And pure fury was painted on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a little later than usual, I've been sorting out where I want this story to go and the rules of the universe etc.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> -Amarettobronislaw xx


	8. Misted Visions

Rey recoiled from him, the relief she should have felt after the suffocating grip of the burnt helmet replaced by fear.

She had never seen a person so angry. Ren held his grip on her arm, strong fingers beneath his leather gloves biting into her flesh.

“What are you doing here?”

He wasn’t yelling, but his words vibrated through her, booming in the small space of the room. 

In the candlelight his eyes looked black, his lips, which had looked so soft the first time she had seen him, were now twisted in a snarl. He stepped closer as Rey tried to get away, his huge muscular frame blocking most of Rey’s vision. His hand felt hot, rage radiating from every movement he made.

She couldn’t tear her eyes from his face.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know- “  
He let out a forced bark of a laugh, his teeth bared like a cornered animal, “You just accidentally found your way into my chambers? Don’t insult me.”

Rey’s back hit the wall, and Ren was upon her. The hand holding her wrist pinned it to the wall next to her head. His breath was fiery on her face, his burning eyes flickering. She somehow still clutched the lit candelabrum in her other hand, which shook as she gasped for air.

“What is this? Are you a spy? Did Palpatine send you? Tell me!” His words rang in Rey’s ears. What was he talking about? Palpatine? She couldn’t think with his face this close to hers. She could count his eyelashes if she wanted to.

“I don’t have any idea- “ 

“STOP LYING!” He finally snapped, eyes wild and grip on her wrist tightening. It was enough to snap Rey out of it.

She pushed at his grip, dropping the candelabrum to shove at him. Caught by surprise Ren stumbled, enough for Rey to yank her arm away from him and slide away. She saw a glimpse of his baffled expression in the rapidly glinting light of the candle rolling across the floor.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about so stop yelling at me!” Incensed, Rey stood her ground opposite him; “What is that? Why did it draw me here? Why am I here?! You’ve offered me nothing about my purpose being in this Force-forsaken castle and I am fed up with your ridiculous mood swings!”

She had started to advance on him in her own rage, all of her frustrations bursting forth and making her see red. Who did he think he is? Her face was hot, her eyes burning into his.

He just stood there. His face had lost the mask of rage, and lay unreadable, eyes never leaving her own. 

Rey breathed heavily, waiting for an answer. She deserved one. 

Ren studies her face, eyes travelling around her features, pausing briefly on her lips. Rey has the absurd idea that he was about to kiss her. Instead he spoke.

“What do you know of the Force?” 

Rey was startled. His tone was far softer, still an edge to it, but a far cry from the roar it resembled before. 

Caught off-guard, Rey had to think before answering, her voice still venomous; “Not much, just the legends. Why?”

The religions of the Force were shrouded in mystery, all outlawed by the First Order but whispered about, nevertheless. Before the New Republic, even before the Old Empire, the fabled Jedi Knights were sentinels of the continent, taming the Force in sacred fighting techniques.

Another order of Knights existed, though, consumed by the Force rather than tamers of it; the Sith. 

Both sides had long faded from existence, but myths of famous force users lingered, the names of the Skywalkers of the Jedi, or Sith Lords marked with the “Darth” title. That’s where Rey recognised the name Palpatine, she realised. What could an ancient Sith master have anything to do with any of this?

Ren nodded, looking off, thinking. After a few seconds of silence, he started off towards the bedroom, leaving Rey standing there. All she seemed to get were more questions. She threw her hands up in frustration.

Following him, she skirted the mask as much as possible, vowing never to touch it again. 

From the doorway of the room, she watched as he lit the fire at the heath. She suddenly remembered that he was the literal ruler of a kingdom. Not only was he lighting his own fire rather than getting a servant to do it, but Rey had just yelled at him.

Not that he didn’t deserve it, though. 

Ren had stood up and was leaning against the mantle, watching her watching him. His fitted leather trousers glinted in the fire, while his simple black doublet artfully hugged his broad shoulders. His face was unreadable still. Rey hurriedly averted her eyes, damning her thoughts. 

“What does the Force have to do with anything?” She steps into the room, looking at the details of the room she had missed in the semi-darkness, trying to banish her lingering thoughts on the Prince’s thighs. 

The dresser opposite the bed was covered in old artifacts and weapons. Looking at them gave Rey a strange, unnerving feeling. She had the urge to touch them, but after the helmet she was rightfully cautious. 

“When I was young, before joining the First Order, I trained as a Jedi.” 

Rey turned sharply. “How is that possible? I thought the Jedi were all dead?” 

“Not all of them.” His face turned dark at the mention, “Let me finish.”

Rey huffed, crossing her arms, but said no more. The corner of Ren’s mouth twitched.

“The keepers of the dark side tried to convince me to join them, but even after I refused, my master tried to kill me, sure I would betray him.” The words seemed to pain him. Rey thought she knew why he wore his mask so often; his emotions were so easily read from his face. He continued.

“After that, I joined the First Order during it’s conception, training with those who are strong with the Darker ways of the Force,” His voice took on an odd tone, his eyes glazing.   
He suddenly fixed Rey with those widened pupils. “I have felt it. You are strong with the Force.” He began to walk towards her. Rey can do nothing but watch him. His face mesmerised her.

“Should you choose it, you could stay and train in the ways of the Force. You could achieve great power with me as your teacher.” 

Rey could see it. Her own eyes grew wide as she stared into Ren’s as he approached. His glove had disappeared from his hand.

Ren reached for her. As his fingers brushed her cheek, she was catapulted into the future. 

She saw a throne. 

A glistening double-ended sword. 

The rush of pure unrefined might through her veins.

She gasped as she was yanked forcefully back into the present. His hand left her face, but his eyes remained the centre piece of Rey’s vision. His curved jaw, honeyed eyes, plump lips.

Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of all that had happened, that was happening. An hour ago, the Force was a lost religion built on rumours and hearsay, and now it was real. Was that what had called to her? That had kept her from leaving this strange place?

Ren had stepped back to give her some space as she breathed heavily, reeling at the tremendous stream of thoughts that she struggles to unravel. 

“Join me.” He holds out his hand for her to take. His face showed a hint of something that wasn’t there before. “Let the past die.” His words strained and thick with emotion.

Vulnerability. He was scared she would refuse him. He gazed at her, hanging on to her every movement. 

The inexplicable attraction she had tried to ignore was stronger than ever. It made sense now. 

This was were she was meant to be. It was laced in her bones, her blood; it was hers. She wanted it. More than anything.

And the Prince. Here he stood before her, almost begging her to stay. 

She took his hand.

“Show me,” She breathed, “Show me the force.”

He smiled.

She hadn’t seen him smile before

-

Back in her rooms once more, Rey felt at peace. 

She had more questions than ever, but she could wait. 

After agreeing to train with Ren, she had walked back in a trance. Soon, she had found herself at her bedroom door, not quite sure how she had managed to get there. 

The whole experience had felt like a dream, but the sense of rightness in the depths of her chest was real. She was where she was meant to be. 

Truly, she was unsure on what the training was to be like. She knew they were to do with fighting, of course, but how the Force was involved she wasn’t certain. It was regarded as an ancient practise no one alive knew anything about.

The was obviously not true.

Was that what the Knights of Ren were? A new Order of Force Knights?

And what of the Jedi master? From how the stories went, the Jedi focused on peace, so to hear such cruel actions was shocking. Who was he? And were those of the ‘Dark Side’ that trained Ren?

Hopefully, all would be answered in time. If not, wandering had brought her the most answers so far so that was her plan B. 

Her thoughts lingered on the twisted helmet that had initiated the entire exchange. Simply thinking of it gave Rey goosebumps. Maybe it had belonged to a Sith Lord of old, since Ren was trained by those strong in the Dark Side.

And the visions. A throne… It had been different to the one in the Finalizer, and she had realised that it was not Ren that sat in it, but her. What did it mean? A chill ran through her at the memory, though. It was unclear whether it was of fear, or anticipation.

Touching the slowly wilting flowers in the vase on her table, Rey reflected that it had only been two days. Two days, and the entire world had changed. An hour, and her whole belief system had been overthrown. 

Hades truly did get deeper and deeper. Would she go too far? Or would the Force give her the answers she needed? Not just about Ren, but her family too.

Even sitting in the cold stone walls of the Finalizer, Rey could feel her connection to the place. And more specifically, Ren. He was still hiding things from her, she was more sure of it than ever now. 

She smiled to herself.

If he could sense her connection to the Force and to him, he was affected by it too. 

She would get her answers, one way or another.


	9. Bruised Violet

The chill of the morning made Rey shiver through the chain mail tunic that had been laid out for her that morning. The stiff grey wool of her trousers and undershirt was not what she was used to; the heavy mail uncomfortable compared to the light fabrics she was used to.

She had made her way to a courtyard near Ren’s rooms. The entire castle seemed to be dotted with them, ranging from tiny patches of grass to large gardens. This one was middling, smaller than the one with the stables at the front of the castle but big enough to ride a horse around the perimeter. 

A watery white sun shone between the masses of clouds that seemed ever present in Hades. There was no sign of Ren yet, Rey had been pacing the middle of the yard for at least 20 minutes now. The dew seeping through her shoes was not helping her mood.

Her hand tapped at her side nervously. Ren had given no indication on what was expected of her, and she could only imagine endlessly impossible tasks she would have no chance of completing. She barely knew anything of the Force and had spent her life as a baker in a small town. The duties of a knight could not be more foreign to her. Even wearing trousers was making her uncomfortable.

A door shut behind her, the sound echoing. She spun to see Ren; his form cloaked by the shadow of the yard’s walls. His helmet glinted upon his head. Rey felt a small trickle of disappointment.

Not acknowledging her, he stalked past her towards a small shed the other side of the yard. He opened it and took out two iron swords, battered and old looking.

Rey watched him, irritation tugging at her. She took a deep breath.

Ren walked towards Rey, still silent, the empty void under the brow of his helmet fixed on her. She shifted under his gaze, plucking at her tunic. Stopping in front of her, he holds a sword by the blade, offering the handle to her.

She took the pommel, her hand immediately dipping from it’s weight. Testing the weight, she clumsily swung it side to side, not liking how weak the heavy steel made her feel.

Ren’s blade came out of no-where; she barely caught it on her own as it came towards her head. Vibrations travelled up her arms, her arms shaking as she gripped the leather pommel. She stared at Ren’s expressionless face in shock.

The pressure of his strength was gone, and he tried again, aiming for her legs. Rey attempted to parry it, but her blade slipped under the force of his swing and he swept her legs from under her.

Yelling, she sprawled on the grass, her sword flying. The edges had been blunted but it would still leave a nasty bruise. Looking up, she was met with his sword in her face as he stood over her. 

“What was that?” Rey bit, panting. Some warning would have been nice.

“Get up,” He said. “Again.”

She scrabbled for her blade and did as he said. She held it in front of her, trying to mirror the stance she had seen in men fighting before. She felt like a child.

Again, he came at her with full force. She blocked a hit to her torso, being pushed back each second. Was this his idea of teaching?

After being knocked down a few more times, Rey was aching. Her arms screamed and her backside was definitely bruising. She was already exhausted, and Ren seemed to show no signs of stopping.

“Get up.” Ren paced before her. 

She struggled to her feet, breathing heavily. What was the point of this? A wave of heat pulsed through her veins.

His advancing stroke made a great clang against her parry. How could he expect her to match him with zero training? She blocked another blow aimed at her head, pushing his sword with as much might as she could muster. 

Her time kneading bread at the bakery must have given her arms some muscle, or she didn’t think she would be able to lift the sword at all.

He barely made a sound the entire time, just continuing to throw himself at her without hesitation. She couldn’t put up enough of a fight to even tire him. 

Grunting, she shoved at him, attempting a thrust. He sidestepped and she went stumbling past. She spun, yanking the sword to protect her face as Ren continued his assault. Blow after blow rained down on her. 

She tried her best to stay upright, but whenever she managed a tiny bit of prolonged stability, Ren would increase the force of his already relentless campaign.

Eventually, her quick exhaustion gave way to numbness. She was lifting her sword half-heartedly, but the pain had faded. 

Ren knocked the sword out of her hand easily. She stood there, not moving to pick it up.

“Why are we doing this?” She stared at him as he continued to pace, throwing her hands up.

He kept his eyes on her, not stopping but tilting his head, “You need to know how to fight. Pick it up.”

“This isn’t teaching me how to fight, it’s teaching me how to fall over.” She didn’t move.

He stopped in front of her, practically blocking the sun. She would never get used to how ridiculously tall he was.

“Pick up the sword.” He looked down on her. She glared up at him.

A renewed vigour surges through her, and she grabs the sword, swinging while lurching forwards.

He jumps out of the way, and Rey goes for another, rapidly throwing unpractised swings. He meets her blade. The resulting clang incenses her further. Each time she attacks he meets her, but she isn’t losing ground anymore.

He meets her slash at his torso, pushing her arm away to smack the flat of his blade at her side. She is knocked to her knees but does not fall.

She bares her teeth as she pulls herself up, throwing a slice at his neck. He meets it, and she hears a grunt from under his helmet. A bolt of excitement runs through her.

Ren throws her to the ground with another grunt. She sprawls. 

The burst of energy leaves as quickly as it came. 

Ren stands over her. Rey thinks she can see his shoulders rise and fall faster than normal. But when he speaks, his voice does not waver.

“Be here same time tomorrow.” He picks up the sword laying next to her, gloved hand brushing her calf for half a second. Then he was away.

She was still sitting propped on her elbows when he disappeared into a door off the yard. Trying to catch her breath, she flopped back on the grass. 

Everything ached. And for what? A lesson in proper stance or technique would make more sense than a ruthless battering. 

She groaned as she stood, the mail she wore clinking. Rey doubted there was a single square inch of herself that was not developing a bruise. 

She barely made it to her room before collapsing. Wriggling gingerly out of the chain mail, she sighed at the ceiling from her spot on her bed. The bruise to her ego hurt worse than her body. Was that whole exercise to feed his own sense of self importance? It certainly felt little successful at achieving anything else.

The thought of doing it again tomorrow made her groan. Whatever Ren was trying to achieve could surely be achieved some other way. 

The sun had passed it’s high point in the sky, and Rey wondered how many hours they had been fighting. Well, if you could call such a one sided exchange a fight.  
At least she could only get better from here.

-

She got worse.

The next day her joints had seized up. Ren knocked the sword from her arms for the twentieth time. She could barely hold it up for longer than a few seconds, let alone defend herself with it.

He had barely said another word to her.

“Are you going to explain-?” She messily deflects a blow to her shoulder with a grunt of effort, “-how this is helping?”

He twisted his blade around hers, wrenching the pommel from her grasp. “Until you start trying, you won’t learn.”

Rey stared, incredulous. 

She swooped to pick up her blunted sword as Ren swung at her. How dare he?

She shoved at him, lunging with her weight behind the thrust. He sidestepped, but not before the tip of her blade just barely scraped his side. He was not going to catch her celebrating this time.

“What do you -“ She sliced diagonally, “-think I’ve been doing -“ He met her second slash, “-for the past two days?” She shoved at him again, a grunt turning into an infuriated yell.

He grunted back, but not with effort. It was dismissive. “If you call that trying, you should go back to Jakku.” Ren advanced, his pace casual.

The bored rumble of his voice made her see red. This was nothing to him. The ache in her joints thrummed with each movement while he lazily danced around her. 

Rey sliced right and left. He countered each hit with nonchalance, smacking her thigh with the flat of his blade. She cried out; it stung but didn’t knock her down. He was playing with her.

She roared with her next attack, pushing him back. This princeling, who was taking money from his people, who lived in luxury, who sulked in his palace after not getting what he wanted, was lecturing her on hard work.

The force of their swords clanging over and over wobbled through Rey’s arms. He hit her again, on her side, then a jab at her mid-section that winded her.

Doubling over, she wheezed, her mind still racing. 

“Maybe you do want to go back to Jakku.” She heard footsteps going away from her. He was walking away.

Something in her snapped.

She was behind him before her mind caught up with her. He turned and caught her blade before his neck at the last second. If looks could kill, he would have dropped then and there.

Blood pulsed behind her eyes. She was too angry to speak.

Rey kicked him in the stomach. He reeled back; she didn’t stop. 

Her blade and eyes flashed. She hardly knew what her arms were doing, but what she did know was that he was moving backwards, and she was moving forwards.

Taken from her home, housed with no explanation clear enough to satisfy her, battered by a man who acted like a child.

She lashed at him with a fury she never knew she had; her vision tunnelled.

She saw her chance, and ducked, swiping at his legs. He fell. 

With her sword at his throat, she breathed heavily. The red mist leaving her, she realised how far she had gone. 

Ren was on the floor. With a start, she heard him breathe just as heavily as she was.

Dropping her sword to her side, the pain in her muscles catching up with her, weakening her once more rather than fuelling her.

For a few seconds she stood there, unsure of what to do. She felt empty after… whatever that had been.

Rey held her hand out for him. His helmet’s eye slit moved from her face to the hand in an almost comical way.

She was about to drop it, sure he wouldn’t take it, when his gloved hand closed around hers.

She leaned back to help her strained muscles in pulling the huge man to his feet. In this she wondered what in the Force had come over her that she was able to knock him to the ground.

She leaned back to far, however, and he was pulled forwards and into her. She felt a hot wave of air vented under his mask hit her face as his chest came flush to her own. 

He radiated heat. She couldn't think of anything else.

His helmeted head tilted down at her. She could see her own face reflected in the polished black iron.

“Now that, is something we can work with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, I'm not a fan of writing fight scenes so I'm currently wondering why I've planned this story to proceed in the way that it does lol.  
> Thanks again for reading! I always love to hear feedback!
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xx


	10. Sharp Words

Rey walks through the halls of the castle. She feels that she has been walking them forever.

With each turn, she goes deeper. The flames in the wall brackets flicker, each burning lower and smaller than the last. 

The corridor is cold and dark, her destination hidden no matter how far she goes.

She is looking for something. She needs it.

It is hidden. She steps with a new urgency; it is here somewhere in the twists of the stone. 

Each corner she turns, she gets faster. The walls get dirtier, slime seeping through the mortar and dripping from the bricks to the floor. 

A dank smell seeps into the air, pressing in on her from all sides. She has to find it.

She breaks into a run. The torches weak yellow flames suddenly blaze blue, illuminating the increasing amount of stinking fluid oozing from between the stone blocks.

Miles of empty corridor fly past her. Where is it?

The stone floor was filling up with water. It splashed at her ankles as she ran. It continues to rise, slowing her as it reached her knees.

She has to keep going. The water makes her sluggish, pulling on her legs.

The water reaches her chin, now. She can’t stop.

The flames continue to burn as the water rises past her head, filling the corridor completely. They taunt her as water fills her lungs.

It makes her heavy, dragging her down. She kept going deeper into the depths of the castle, unable to stop now. 

The blue flames burn bright enough to hurt her eyes, but the corridor somehow remains clouded in shadow.

She is drowning, her throat screaming for air, her body going stone cold, but she is still moving.

Something comes into sight before her. A throne.

Tendrils of all-consuming darkness bleed from it into the water.

It extinguishes the fires as it spreads, and then it comes for her.

Dread bleeds into her as her vision is obscured. She cannot swim away. It’s in her eyes, her mouth, her lungs.

Rey sat straight up in bed, panting heavily. Her eyes darted around the room, frantically grounding herself.

It was her room; no slime, no water, just the early morning light peeking through the window. 

She took deep breaths, sinking back into her sheets and pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. It was so vivid. She realised she was shaking slightly, the adrenaline from the feeling of drowning real even if the water hadn’t been.

Cold sweat clung to her. She had never had a dream like that. 

Her muscles protested as she started to move, stretching her arms over her head in an attempt to shake off the lingering tension the dream had gifted her. 

The throne flashed before her eyes. Was it the same one she had seen in the vision she had in Ren’s rooms? It didn’t feel the same, this one hung over her mind like a shadow, oppressive.

She shook herself off, going to tie her hair into her usual buns. She couldn’t be late for training. 

Over the past week, the training sessions had not gotten easier. Ren seemed unsatisfied until he had provoked her to rage, still not bothering to explain what they were doing, and either way she would be left with enough bruises to remind her with every movement. 

Rey bent with a groan to pick up the tunic she had knocked off of her bed with the force of her awakening. She wondered whether Ren believed in having weekends off. Unlikely.

She dressed and ate quickly, a small breakfast of fruit left out like always. The view from her window was as pretty as always, the sunrise fighting to be seen between the mountains. The yellow light glanced off the shifting surface of the lake, leaving the deepest waters untouched, hidden.

As she made her way to the courtyard, she studied the corridors. They were still dark and rough, but their chill seemed natural, not malicious like the oozing stone she had seen in her imagination. 

She stepped out into the yard with her head still clouded by comparisons and questions, but she stopped.

Ren stood waiting. He never arrived before her, making her wait was just another tactic to jerk at her anger, but today he had. He turned to her, and she had to stop herself from audibly gasping. He had removed his helmet. 

She could count on one hand how many times she had seen his face, and it continued to ensnare her whole attention. 

Stop it, she berated herself as she shook her head. Of course, he had done this to distract her, throw her off just as she was getting used to their training. 

She clenched her fists and marched towards him, adamant he would not see her reaction. She would not give him that pleasure. 

Rey could not stop herself from studying him all over again though. 

As the details of his face once again came into view, her eyes danced over his brow, his nose, his chin. They caught on his hair, the top portion of it pulled into a hair tie to clear it from his face. The thought that he might wear it like that under his helmet stuck in her mind. She liked that she could see his face better. She did not linger on the thoguht.

An unfamiliar expression graced his features as she approached, a quirk of an eyebrow, an almost imagined curve at his lips. 

His amusement irked Rey. Still, she held her hand out for the sword he had yet to give her without a word.

He presented it pommel first, not moving his gaze from her face. Trying to make her uncomfortable, was he? Two could play at that game.

She stepped closer than she normally would have to accept the sword, her eyes not wavering under his. Her movements were slow, taking her time before she moved away. It was pretty futile to try and match him in this though, as she had to tilt her head even further back to see his the closer to him she got. If anything he looked more amused.

Stepping away she raised her weapon, bracing. 

“Turn slightly to the left.” He had raised his own blade but wasn’t advancing. Rey froze at the rumble of his voice. 

“What?”

“Move your left foot back.” 

She tried but felt unsteady with the sword held with both hands before her. Shaking his head, he lowers his sword and walks towards her. Had he actually decided to teach her?

“Here.” His voice was low in her ear as he stepped close to move her foot into place with his own, steadying her shoulders with his gloved hands. She shifted her gaze to the ground, not trusting herself to look at him.

Her flesh burned where he had touched her, even through the thick chain mail she wore. Her cheeks hot, elation burned in her stomach. She tried to convince herself that it was because he was finally teaching her rather than letting her fight blind. It wasn’t a strong argument.

She realised that he had resumed his place opposite her, adopting the same stance he had placed her in. He was doing an amazing job at distracting her, and she hated it.

He swings at her, a sweeping downward chop that she meets with her blade. He quickly destabilises her with a push though, knocking her onto her back. He didn’t look smug, though, only analysing what she had done.

“Bend you knees and stand wider; lower you centre of gravity to remain stable.” He says as he waits for her to get back up. 

Rey adjusts her stance as he tries another powerful swing. It helped, and she managed to stay upright this time. Gaining confidence, she slid his sword away and went for a swing of her own, aiming for his ribs.

He bats her sword away, sidestepping, and she falls forwards into the grass, carried by her own momentum. 

“If you don’t move your feet to match your weight, you will keep falling.” She could hear the smile in that comment, but she needed to get better and he was actually helping now. Her teeth clamped down around her retort. 

She tried again, and each time she fell he gave new advice. As it happened, she was doing a lot wrong. Each time she tried again, though, she seemed to stand for a little longer.   
He didn’t pull his punches however, and whenever she thought she was pushing him back, he would surprise her.

She yelled out as he swept out her legs from under her with a broad slash of the flat of the blade to her calves. 

“Don’t forget to guard your legs.” Small drops of perspiration dotted his brow, his brow furrowed in a blank mask of focus otherwise as he readjusted his grip.

Rey huffed where she sat for a moment, trying to hold onto a moment of rest. “How long did it take you to master this?” She asked.

He glanced at her. “A long time. Get up, we aren’t finished.” 

Rey grumbled but obeyed. At least she was finally getting somewhere; his focus had shifted from making her incredibly angry at last, and she wasn’t anxious to go back to that. She didn’t want to drop trying to make conversation though.

“What about the Force? How does sword fighting-“ She dodges an attack and returns a parry, “-have anything to do with it?”

He kept up his relentless strokes, attacking from every angle as he pushes forwards, “Until you can fight adequately, you don’t need to know.”

She grunts as she tries to throw one of his blows back at him, fighting to keep her balance while throwing her weight towards him. He was very good at insulting her. 

“Still-“ She ducked away and came slicing at his side. “-I’d like to understand just a little-“ Their blades clashing makes her teeth rattle. “-Of what I am doing here.” 

He snorts, easily spinning, with more grace than a man his size should have, into a sidestep and delivering a bruising hit to her side, making her double over. “If I say you don’t need to know, you don’t.”

Rey wheezed, but saw that his back was turned, if just for a second. She swings at his calf. The blade catches him by surprise, swiping his foot from beneath him. He doesn’t fall though, only stumbling, before turning, brow creased.

Rey grins, only just pulling her torso up in time to block his next attack. If he had not corrected her stance earlier she would’ve been down however, as he forced her to bend back on her rear leg to avoid falling. 

He kept pushing, his face hovering over the once-shiny metal. The wind picked up tendrils of his hair, waving them coyly around his neck, she could easily count the moles there if she wanted. He was also very good at distracting her. 

“What about the taxes on the miners? Is that irrelevant as well?” She hissed, enjoying the surprise on his face. 

His eyes scanned hers for a moment before he pushed away from her. “We are here to train; not discuss how I rule Hades.” 

She scoffed. “I would not call stealing money from your people for your cushy castle ruling.” She sliced at him with a renewed vigour.

“You don’t know anything.” He growled, parrying. 

She knew she was pushing it. “Oh really? I wonder who it is who isn’t telling me anything!” 

“Stop it.” He held the parry, heaving shoulders not budging.

She leaned in, trying to force him back. “Why? So I can blindly follow the Princeling who sits in his castle while his people struggle-?“

“ENOUGH!” He roared as he knocked Rey to the ground, pinning her with his blunted blade pressing at her throat.

The haze cleared from her eyes, what was she thinking? 

His breath came hot and heavy on her face as he bared his teeth. The hair that came loose from his bun hung around his blazing eyes. 

Rey holds her breath, not daring to move. He is fiery and feral, and she still cannot silence the voice which tells her that he is beautiful. This is not the best time for that, however.

After a few seconds, that fire fades from his gaze, and he looks tired. The pressure on her neck loosens and she gasps. 

He quickly stands, holding out a hand for her, just as she did the first time she knocked him down. How does a man change so quickly from one thing to the next? Then again, Rey wasn’t exactly all herself when her anger took over.

She takes it, welcoming his help in pulling her up. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-“ She starts.

“No,” He cuts her off. He sighs, his face looking both younger and older than she assumed he was. Saying that, how old was he? Looking at him now, without the scowl and the hair concealing him, he looked like a tired boy. “You have every right to question me.”


	11. Whiplash

They stood opposite each other; swords lowered to hang at their sides. Clouds were draped over the open top of the yard, seemingly a permanent feature of the capital. Rey waited.

Ren looked off; his dark features furrowed in thought. Rey shivered as the breeze cooled the remnants of sweat lingering at her hairline. 

“The taxes are so high because of Snoke,” His eyes finally return her gaze. “The revenue generated by taxing annexed Kingdoms are a huge source of income for the Order, while also a way of ensuring we don’t have the funds to rebel.”

She was speechless for a second. “That’s… a more valid reason then I was expecting.” Still… “How does the palace remain so opulent?”

“Hux’s family money,” His mouth twitched upwards, “His tastes do not allow for anything less than… opulent.” The drab furnishings of Ren’s quarters came to the front Rey’s mind. The small smile on his lips kept her attention though. 

His eyes slid to hers, the twitch of his lips widening, and she fumbled, caught staring; “Where did his family get the money to fund all of this?” 

He gave her an odd look, but replied without missing a beat. “His father was a figure of importance in the Old Empire, one of the founders of the First Order.”

“’Was’?”

Ren sneered, a much less pleasant look than the smirk from before, laced heavily with disgust. “Hux assassinated the man years ago.”

Rey’s mouth fell open. “He killed him?! His own father?”

Ren gave a shrug. “As much as I dislike Hux, his father was a different level of unpleasant.”

Thinking of the pinched face and condescending tone she had strongly disliked on her first night in the palace had her hard pressed to imagine anyone more unlikable. She snorted. Other than a few fleeting glimpses in the vast halls of the Finalizer, she hadn’t had anymore run ins with the man, and Rey could not say she was not glad of that.

“What about Phasma? She seems…” She fished for a word, “…Interesting.”

It was Ren’s time to snort at her polite way of terming it, but his demeanour was much less derisive. “Phasma is one of the best warriors I’ve ever met.” 

He looked down at the sword in his hand and seemed to remember what they were doing there in the first place. His brow furrowed.

The unguarded look on his face closed off in a millisecond. “Your training has not finished.”

Rey jumps back as he takes a sudden slash at her. She struggled to regain her footing, but his sword connected with her shoulder with another wild strike, knocking her further off balance while pushing her back. 

The point here he hit her throbbed as she blocked and deflected attacks where she could, resorting to dodging where she couldn’t. She could barely process the worryingly sharp turn in his manner as he advanced with a flurry of steel.

He had never fought this hard with her. His eyes looked black; focus zeroed in without a hint of the ease that was there a minute ago. Wide slashes that seemed almost erratic utilised his weight against hers, leaving her to narrowly escape blows that could cause much worse than a bruise.

“Stop!” She gasped, after another near miss that grazed her unprotected wrist as she dodged, leaving another line of fire on her skin.

He didn’t seem to hear her. He kept coming, letting out animalistic grunts of effort.

Panic sunk into her skin as she started falling behind. Suddenly she felt the wall of the yard with the back of her heel; she was cornered.

“Ren!” She cried out as he smacked her sword from her hand in an almighty blow. He stopped with his blade a hair’s breadth from her neck.

His hot breath washed over her as she tried to sink into the wall. He looked completely different. Hair hung over his eyes, which glowered with an empty fire. That’s what this was, empty fire. He was not thinking, which made him deadly in that moment.

She held her breath. There was little telling what he would do next.

The sword he held clanged as it bounced on the grass, causing Rey to jump. He stormed away and was gone in seconds.

Rey released her held breath. She could not understand what had made him so angry; it was really getting old at this point. Bending forwards to lean her hands on her knees, she calmed her breathing and became aware of the sharp pains and aches that radiated from several areas of her body.

Tomorrow morning, she doubted she would even be able to stand up. Slowly, she picked up the swords from the ground and dragged them to the shed that served as a small armoury in the yard.

She had seen him angry before, but that was far worse than any of those times. He seemed constantly pulled between the two extremes of his personality; one being a calm, agreeable person and the other nothing but poorly contained rage. Whenever she got the more reasonable side, he would flip and suddenly become something unrecognisable.

Dragging her feet up a staircase, she hoped there would be a nice basin of soapy water waiting for her in her room. The lake caught her eye through a window, however. 

She knew there was a section of the castle grounds that connected with the lake, maybe there would be a nice place to bathe. The weather wasn’t as nice as it would be in Jakku this time of year, but despite the sun’s reluctance to ever be seen the overall temperature was mild enough.

Also, she was hot and sweaty enough after the exercise she had just had. If you could call fighting for your life exercise.

After a few guessed turns through the twisting halls she managed to make her way outside, stumbling down a rocky slope to the water’s edge. The side of the castle closest to the edge of the lake was built upon a rocky ledge over the deep waters. It had a shallow enough incline into the water that she could scramble down but it was steep enough she wouldn’t be disturbed. She hoped so anyways.

Stripping off her heavy mail shirt and trousers, she took another glance around before removing her undershirt. She wasn’t sure how they felt about nudity here, but she was too ready to soak in the cool of the lake to worry about it.

She gasped as the sharp coldness of the water enveloped her foot. As she sank in, she shuddered, the cold making her tense, but after a few minutes it felt good, refreshing.

She scrubbed off the grime and sweat of the training session, feeling her muscles unwind. The past week had been difficult and being supported by the gentle grip of the water was so welcome. 

She used to swim in the river near Jakku, but she had stopped as she got older for fear of the bandits and smugglers that often had businesses with Unkar Plutt. Those summers were some of the best of her life. Working at the bakery had been hard as a child, but the stream washed all of that away.

She floated for a while, watching the clouds pass leisurely above her. She closed her eyes thinking about the huge expanse of water she rested in, how endless it seemed, in depth as well as width. How it embraced her with protection, away from the confusing moods of Kylo Ren.

She could feel her worries wash away as the knots in her shoulders and back loosen. The water soothed her scratches and bruising, filling her with calm. Her mind stretches out with her body.

Then she feels it. A presence. She didn’t feel it physically, but rather sensed it.

It was fleeting, but it felt like the tip of the iceberg. Like a toe brushing against some huge water creature hidden by murky waters. She wasn’t afraid though.

Her mind was drawn back to the dream; the water and the hidden thing she was searching for. Did it mean something? The feeling of dread wasn’t here this time, and she definitely wasn’t drowning.

No, the presence felt like home.

She tried to reach out her mind again, wanting to know more of the unseen being. She again felt it, like she was tapping into some enormous resource. It flowed through her, feeling even better than the soothing waters around her.

She opened her eyes, finding that she had floated a little away from shore. Swimming back, Rey didn’t even feel the fatigue that had pained her. She felt separate, above herself. Floating.

Climbing up the sloped, rocky shore, she didn’t feel the cool air on her exposed skin. She felt strong. Tilting her head towards the watery sun, she stood motionless for a second. Nothing had ever felt better.

But then she felt something else. Looking up the shore, she spots a small bundle of feathers. She approached. 

It flapped weakly, a small grey bird with a twisted wing. It was in pain. She felt such sadness for the creature, that she didn’t think before reaching out to touch it. She didn’t want it to hurt anymore. 

The great influence was flowing through her again, but not into her. This time it went out. She gasped as it left her, a little of her exhaustion creeping back in. 

But the bird. It’s wing untwisted before her eyes, and it stood like nothing was wrong. The bird shook itself, as disbelieving as Rey was, before flying away, as healthy as anything.

She was still sitting with her arm extended ten minutes later, shivering as the chill breeze finally bit through her wet skin.

What… What was that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, trying to get work and school sorted is taking a lot of my writing energy atm.  
> Hope you liked this chapter, I'm trying to connect the force to the Hades/Persephone theme cause I've realised how little of the story actually links to that apart from the beginning lol  
> Wish me luck for my UCAT which I'm taking in a month! I'm 100% not freaking out about it!!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!  
> \- amarettobronislaw xx


	12. Down the Rabbit Hole

Rey kept her eyes on that same spot on the rock. The ache in her arms from remaining in such a position barely registered. Moving would make it real. 

The feeling of the rough rock under her hands faded, the nerves going numb and pins and needles setting in.

Her thoughts weren’t working properly. Her eyes must not have been either. But the rock was bare. The bird had gone. 

Her vision blurred. The wind bit cruelly at tears that had appeared on her face.

It hit her like a landslide.

A sob escaped her as she gasped. She couldn’t see. She was alone, naked and terrified on an isolated rock in a land she didn’t know. 

Her hands moved frantically, tearing at her clothes to get them on. They stuck to her clammy skin, clutching her shivering flesh. 

The pound of her feet on stone matched the rushes of blood in her ears. They were all she could hear as she tore through the castle. Turn, after turn, after turn. Tears kept coming, no matter how many times she wiped at them with the backs of her hands. 

As soon as her room’s door slammed behind her, her legs gave out. 

She couldn’t hold back sobs any longer. The sheer overwhelming pressure of everything slammed through her mind in waves. 

She felt like her world was collapsing on top of her. This couldn’t be real, none of it made any sense at all. 

She was whisked away like a maid in a fairy story, taken to such a strange land and had her views about government, the Empire, femininity and everything about herself completely turned on their heads. 

And now magic is real. And she had… She didn’t know what she had done. Visions and dreams and… A Prince.

The final flourish of this fantasy. She couldn’t avoid the subject any longer.

Everything about him bewildered her. He was erratic, abrasive and distant.

But she always wanted more.

She pounded her fist on the ground, just the notion enraging her. It was such a pointless attraction, the man was impossible. Even if he had shown any notion of interest in her, her lowborn status would make it impossible to rise higher than a mistress to him. 

But even beyond his striking appearance and uncompromising shell, there was something she couldn’t describe. She wanted to see… something. Something he hadn’t shown her yet that she could just feel was there. Was that just wishful thinking?

Even now she could almost feel him, her ridiculous longing imagining his presence.

She stopped, lifting her head. She definitely felt something that could only be him. It was distinctive.

Her door smashed into the adjacent wall as a black mass swept in like a storm.

She scrambled back, startled, but she knew it was him. 

Her heart jolted at his bare face, and her face twisted to a scowl at her own reaction. 

“What’s wrong?” His eyes darted, stance poised for action and hand hovering at his scabbard as he towered, filling up the doorway. His shoulders rose and fell with his chest. She hated how a flush of blood lay delicately across his cheekbones. No one should look that good sweaty.

“No-nothing.” She snapped, wiping at her face. Her hands shook, the crushing feeling disrupted but not entirely lifted.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked her over. She couldn’t imagine what a mess she looked. 

He stayed in the doorway, “Why are you upset?” 

Because of you. “Nothing. Please go away.” 

He didn’t move. “Tell me.”

“It is no business of yours.” She could not take this right now. 

He rolled his eyes. She did not think she could get any angrier.

“Leave. I don’t want to talk to you.” Gritting her teeth, she stood. Her fists clenched to still their shaking. 

He crossed his arms. “No. Tell me what is bothering you.” 

“No! Leave!” She advanced; hackles raised. 

He again didn’t move. She thought she spied a twitch at his lip.

That was it.

Rey ran at him, yelling as she shoved and bashed her fists against his hard barricade of muscle. He put out his hands, but she continued, not thinking but just trying to get him out. 

She pushed desperately, but it was useless. Even blows to his ribs or stomps on his feet had little effect, he wouldn’t budge. He just stood there and took it.

Her arms eventually lost their fight. Tears of frustration collected at the corners of her eyes. They spilled as she finally gave it up, sinking to her knees. They were sore from her collapse earlier. Then she couldn’t feel it, but now she felt everything.

The chill of the stone, her clothes finally drying after the uncomfortable dampness since the lake. The feeling of arms enfolding her in their grip. 

Ren had knelt next to her, lending his huge warmth to her frame. Rey was enveloped in a metallic scent, mixed with the leather of his clothes and something she could only describe as the smell of warmth.

All she could do was lean into his chest. Her tearstained face buried itself into his shoulder, the wool of his doublet cushioning her. 

She sobbed, releasing everything. He was safe, he was comfort. Nothing else mattered. 

His body was hard, corded muscle beneath rich fabrics, his frame large enough to make her feel like she was wrapped in him. Her own personal castle to keep her safe.

It should have been odd – but it just wasn’t. It was the most natural thing in the world. She thought she could feel him relaxing as well, some of the seemingly permanent tension leaving his shoulders.

Up close he wasn’t a Prince, nor the angry swordsman. He was gentle.

She felt whole.

Sitting up she slowly pulled herself away, looking at his face. Her sorrows had not been resolved, but his touch was a balm.

His face had such a delicate beauty for such a powerful man. Up close, every freckle, line and curve were available for her hungry eyes. His own eyes devoured her features as though he had never seen her before. She brushed hair from her face, suddenly self-conscious.

“Don’t,” He caught her hand lightly, eyes never leaving her face. He lightly touched his fingers to the damp strands, tucking them behind her ear. She felt herself holding her breath.

“You’re so beautiful.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

He blinked, lips parting. Rey was transfixed with his long dark eyelashes. 

“I don’t think,” He took a shaky breath, “…I’ve ever wanted to know someone more in my life.” His voice was low, whispered, like he hoped she wouldn’t hear. She was close enough to hear every syllable and every catch in his voice, though.

“Glad to know it isn’t just me.” As soon as he put his arms around her it was over. They had stepped over a ledge and were free falling, and she didn’t ever want to face the repercussions of landing.

It was Rey’s turn to touch him; she brought her hand to his face, barely hesitating, dancing her fingers over his brow and into his hair. He didn’t move a muscle, but closed his eyes, leaning into her hand. His locks were as soft as feathers running across her fingertips.

The small sound he made as she stroked her hands through his hair made her heart skip a beat. Of all the unbelievable things she had experienced, this moment was the most unreal. But she would trade the rest of the story for this to last forever.

It couldn’t though. This wasn’t a dream, nor a fairy tale.

He held her like she was made of glass, scared to move and break the moment between them. She didn’t think she could ever get close enough to him.

She had to do something, like she had had to do things her entire life to survive in Jakku. 

If she wanted this man, this inexplicable but wonderful man, she had to show it to him. 

Rey pushed the fears she still had deep down, praying to the Force that she wouldn’t ruin everything.

Ren opened his eyes, questions in their honeyed gaze. They drifted to her lips, and it was all the encouragement she needed. 

Taking a deep breath, she leant forwards and pressed her lips to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a slow update, I was really unhappy with the last chapter and I wasn't sure of how I wanted to go with this chapter, but I really like how this one turned out. They finally made a move!!! I think I was getting caught up with the plot but now that somethings happened between them it should be easier to get the romance going :)  
> Hope this didn't seem too rushed as that was most of what I was scared of going into writing this chapter.  
> Feedback is highly appreciated!! Hope you enjoyed!!!!
> 
> -amarettobronislaw xxxx


	13. The Point of No Return

For a second, he didn’t move. Rey peeked an eye open and saw him staring back at her. Oh God, he didn’t mean it like that, her thoughts raced, and she made to pull away but-

His eyes closed and he began kissing back, matching her intensity as he chased her retreating lips like she was the air he breathed. When Rey heard a small noise of pleasure rumble through his lips to hers, she genuinely almost swooned.

Kissing him was like fire. In an instant the calm they had built after her storm of panic was set alight as they melted together like honey. They both fumbled slightly with their rhythm, teeth bumping uncomfortably a few times, but all Rey could focus on was the utter softness of his lips.

Her hands dove deeper into his hair, hearing another small groan pass his lips. She could dedicate her life to chasing that sound; she tugged a little more at his silky strands. His large palm gently cupped the back of her neck, warmth spreading from where his fingers grazed her skin, while his other hand snaked around to her lower back and pulled her closer. 

His scent engulfed her, almost as if she were inhaling his very essence. A sound of her own escaped her, unbidden, and she felt herself flush as Ren smiled against her lips. Flushed couldn’t describe how she felt.

Eventually they separated, the sound of their heavy breaths filling the silence. Her stomach flipped as she saw his blown pupils and felt the heat of his breath washing over her from between parted, reddened lips. She had never kissed anyone before; had never anticipated it would feel like... like that. Rey decided she did not need to breathe and leaned back in to capture his lips with hers.

When she made contact, his lips felt different. Opening her eyes, she instead found the tips of his fingers. She tilted her head, eyes wide in questioning. He looked down at her with dark eyes, but he shook that hunger away as he quickly removed his fingers from her lips.

“While this is very enjoyable,” Rey would have rolled her eyes were they not glued to his tongue as he darted it over his lips, “You still haven’t answered my question.”

For a second her mind blanked. What in the Empire could be more immediately important than kissing him right that second? Then she remembered the reason he was here in the first place. 

The rock, the bird, the tears. Right. 

She shifted her gaze. “That’s because it’s none of your business.”

She knew it was a feeble response the moment it left her mouth. She could practically feel the look he was giving her. 

A finger at her chin turned her head back towards him. Despite the kiss they had just shared, her heart skipped a beat at the contact. He was going to be the death of her.

“Please.” This shocked her more than anything that had happened in the past ten minutes. It was so soft in his deep, rumbling tone, and mixed with the look of concern in his features it made Rey’s heart burst with unnameable emotion. She could feel a blush creeping back up her neck, as she tried to sort through her thoughts.

Surely Ren - should she call him Kylo now? – would think she was crazy. There was no way what she had done (what she THOUGHT she had done) was possible, Force or not. Visions were one thing but what was pretty much necromancy was an entirely different breed of horse.

Then again, she had absolutely no idea what the Force actually was, thanks to that very man. He surely would have some insight into it, or whether what she did to the bird was a result of the Force or something else entirely. 

Madness, for example.

He was still watching her. Just looking at him sent heat up her spine, but she had made up her mind.

“After training I went to bathe I the lake-” His eyebrow quirked up as she said this, and she realised that absolutely no one had told her it was alright to go in the lake, but it was too late now. “- and I felt… something. Not physically, but somehow-“

“With your mind.” Ren finished for her; his attention rapt. There was clear recognition on his face; he knew what she was talking about. “What happened?”

Swallowing, still distracted by his closeness, she continued, unable to meet his gaze. “I went back to the shore, feeling really calm, when I saw a bird. It’s wing was twisted, it was in pain, and I just wanted it to not hurt anymore.” 

Her mouth felt dry, she wasn’t sure she could continue. 

“Did you kill it?” 

Rey started, eyes jumping back to him in surprise. He seemed to be looking at her with more intensity than before, a strange expression in his eyes. She wasn’t sure she liked it.

“No, I healed it.” 

He looked more shocked than she had just been. 

“You… Healed it?”

“Yes.” He was making her nervous now. 

He looked to the side, seeming to try and process this. “How?”

She threw her hands up. “That’s what I was hoping to ask you!” 

He glanced back at her, running a hand through his hair. He sighed, almost looking annoyed.

What did that mean? Did she do something wrong? 

“Just please, tell me what this is.” She heard a whine in her voice that indicated she was about to cry again, and willed herself not too. “Is it something to do with the Force?”

He didn’t reply straight away, seeming to go over his response in his head. She took the time to reflect that they were still sitting opposite each other on the stone floor of her room. The heavy, more formal tension of that morning seemed years ago.

“The Force runs through everything,” He began. “Some have the ability to sense it, and use it to complete incredible acts.” 

“Can you?” Rey felt a little stupid asking, but he had never demonstrated this in the week they had been training, and the thought of him having magical powers seemed impossible.

The look he gave her was enough to make her sure that it was a silly question. Transfixed, she watched as he extended his arm towards a spider crawling across the floor next to them. Gently, he allowed it to climb into the palm of his hand. He held it delicately, but with the twitch of his finger, it froze. His brow furrowed minutely in concentration, he flicked his finger again and the spider was crushed into a tiny ball.

Rey was both horrified and mesmerised. “You can kill things?”

He nodded, a strangely distant look on his face as he flicked away the now dead spider. “My teacher thought of these abilities as the greatest weapons to acquire power. One does that through death.”

He turned his gaze to Rey. “But with you… I was trained to draw from my anger, use my rage as fuel, but you used peace. I tried to push you, draw out your anger so that you would lash out. It didn’t work.”

Rey thought back to he lakeside. She had felt more peaceful than she thought was possible.

“The way you used it was… unprecedented.”

That just raised more questions than it answered. 

When Ren didn’t elaborate, she huffs. 

“Well, what do I do?”

He cocked his head in question.

“As in, can I learn to control it? Are there other things I can do?”

“Yes, part of our training will be developing your Force abilities. You will be able to do great things, but what exactly you are capable of is not clear.”

Neither are your answers, Rey thought rather bitterly. But this was possibly the longest she had gotten him to talk, so she was not going to push her luck when he was being particularly forthcoming.

“Maybe your skill with the Force will be more sufficient than your abilities with the sword.”

Rey opened her mouth to blurt out an argument, how it wasn’t her fault he had literally only started teaching technique today, when she saw the corners of his mouth quirking up in a smirk. He was joking. Prince Ren just made a joke.

Her own lips formed a smile, half out of pure surprise than actual laughter. Back again was this man she wanted to know.

Just then the door of her room smacked against the wall for a second time that day as someone barrelled through it, making Rey jump.

The figure spun, looking around the room frantically. He jumped harder than Rey had when his eyes finally landed on them where they were on the floor in front of him. His already sweaty face reddened even further. Rey supposed it was because he had just found his Prince in a rather compromising position with a woman. She bit back a smile.

Ren was already getting up. Rey’s heart sank as the moment they had shared disappeared instantly. When would she see this side of the man again?

The man wheezed, sweat collecting on his forehead. He wore similar dress to Hux, a full black ensemble that many courtiers seemed to wear like a uniform, with the sigil of Ren’s house on the breast and some indication of rank on his arm.

His face was pale, but Rey wasn’t sure if it was his natural tone or a result of fear, as there was a clear look of panic written across his features.

“S-sir, I’m sorry to intrude but-“

“What is it Mitaka?” He said in a blunt tone. Ren stood stock still, his face a mask of cold indifference. He didn't look like the same person who had kissed her barely moments ago.

The small man stood to attention, his eyes continuing to dart nervously. “Chancellor Hux sent me to find you because-“ His eyes landed on Rey, still sat on the floor behind his Prince. “-because, er, there’s an emergency.”

Rey looked at Ren curiously, but it seemed he had run out of patience for answering her questions.

He nods and strides towards the door, following this Mitaka out, but he pauses.

He turns to catch her eye. “I’ll see you tomorrow for training.” He acknowledges with a nod of his head. He doesn’t wait for an answer before leaving, letting the door swing shut behind him.

And she was alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi to the amazing people keeping up with my rather inconsistent updates, and hi to people who have just found my story, thank you all so much for reading!!!  
> I am back at school now, prepping applications for university and such so apologies because the updates will not be getting any quicker, but I still want to see this story through so I will not be abandoning it.  
> But again I can't thank you enough for reading, it makes me so happy to see people enjoying this <3
> 
> (Also the sigil for Ren's house Ii keep mentioning is this: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/537124693036587653/ , I just googled Hades symbol cause I needed a sigil and I liked this one lol)
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxxx


	14. Hot Coals

The flowers she had collected on the day of her arrival were wilted and sapped of colour in their vase; grey clouds framing them from through the window.

Rey was still sat on the cold stone of her bedroom floor. She didn’t really feel the chill next to the shards of ice left in Ren’s wake. 

She was exhausted. The morning seemed years ago; all that had happened that day surely couldn’t have only taken a few hours. Ren’s back and forth hostility in the training session was decades away from the tender touches that had burned, and since faded after their overwhelming moment of connection. 

Pressing the heels of her hands into her eye sockets, she wished the horrible emptiness he had left would go away. It choked her, and tears welled against her palms just thinking of the way he had rushed off without so much as a goodbye. 

Absolutely not. Rey sucked in a breath and blinked at the ceiling. She was not crying over that man. 

No, she thought, tears escaping and running down her cheeks, she was crying because of everything. Not just him. 

She didn’t have the energy for sobs. Struggling to her feet on numb legs, she sat at her window, wiping the short-lived tears. There weren’t many left at this point. 

She didn’t understand. Trying to was like rubbing her head with sandpaper. Surely, she didn’t have to think about this right now. Huffing, she reprimanded herself. Running away would just cause more problems to arise. 

The lake looked dull from her window, a flat expanse of grey the same colour as the sky. Did spring exist in this realm? It felt more like the limp excuse for winter they suffered through back in Jakku.

Thinking about her home felt surreal. The dust, the bakery, even shady Unkar Plutt was nostalgic, but they were more of a dream than the reality she now existed in. 

She missed the lush plant life of spring in the outskirts of town, the smell of baking in her little cottage, and familiar faces; but her life had found different meaning now. Exactly what it was, she couldn’t tell, but she would never be able to live happily in Jakku again. That was done now. 

The dying flowers on her table hung limply, the mix of the delicate red and yellows of familiar fauna and the harsh spikes of the tough purple Hades’ thistles all equally dull now. She picked idly at the petals, thinking of collecting more to replace them at some point. 

The sound of her door opening followed by a small gasp brought her from her thoughts.

Turning, Rey was surprised to see a young woman in servants dress, standing with a hand over her mouth.

“I’m so sorry miss I thought you had left-“ She squeaked, tumbling over her words as she began to fumble to pull the door closed again, worry filling up her heart shaped face. “I assumed you had left with the Prince I-“ 

Rey’s face burned. She hadn’t thought about how that would look; which was a pretty big oversight considering he was the ruler of an entire realm.

“-I’ll come back later I’m so sorry-“

“No, wait!” The maid had pretty much closed the door on herself when Rey called out, shaking herself out of her brooding state.

The girl froze, looking up nervously. Rey realised she was waiting for further instruction. She looked aghast, so Rey tried to make herself look as non-threatening as possible, smiling politely.  
“It’s okay, I just wanted to talk to you.” When she still looked like she expected Rey to eat her alive, Rey continued, “I haven’t talked to another girl since I got here, I swear to you I won’t bite.”

Coming back into the room, she still didn’t look anywhere at ease, but stood just within the doorway with hands folded in front of her, not meeting Rey’s eyes. She was quite familiar, but Rey wasn’t sure why.

Now Rey had no idea where to go from here.  
“Um, what’s your name?” She asked, hoping she wasn’t somehow breaking every single etiquette rule in Hades. 

From the girl's face, Rey must have broken at least half of them. “My… my name?”

“I don’t mean to be rude, I’m sorry-“

“No, no, it’s fine,” Her brow furrowed, “It’s just that no one here asks that sort of thing.”

Rey had a flash of anger at the people here, Hux’s upturned nose coming to mind.

“My name’s Siv, my lady.” She did a little curtsy, and Rey suddenly remembered where she had seen the girl. With Phasma, that day in the corridor. That’s why she was so eager to leave. Her tightly coiled hair framed her smooth dark skin and striking eyes. They were definitely those of the girl she had seen with the intimidating Captain.

“I’m no lady, Siv, please just call me Rey.” She weighed up whether she wanted to bring up that incident in the corridor; she didn’t want to scare Siv any further but she was really curious. Maybe later, it would be nice to not scare away the first person to talk to her like she was also a person.

Ren didn’t count. She had no idea what his idea of her could be with the mixed messages he threw at her. It would not do to ponder that now, however.  
“So, are you the one who leaves the food and the dresses?” At her meek nod, Rey smiled warmly, pushing away the weight of fatigue. “I don’t know how you manage to be so quiet; I haven’t seen you once.”

Her shoulders lost some of their tension, dropping a little away from her ears. “I would hate to wake you, most here don’t appreciate that at all.”

“I can imagine.” Rey’s thoughts again turned to Hux and the courtiers, and she couldn’t help the frown that appeared on her lips. She couldn’t help mistrusting them, despite having less than one full conversation with Hux himself.

Siv’s lip twitched. 

Rey looked again at her flowers. They weren’t helping her mood at all.

“Are there any flower gardens here Siv?” 

The other woman blinked, looking baffled. “I… don’t think so my la- I mean, Rey.” She considered the rather sad bouquet. “Most of the grounds are just grass and hawthorn bushes.” 

“Not really the best flora for in here.” Rey huffed, also turning her attention to the withered blooms. They really did look dead. 

“Hardy plants, though.” Siv muttered, almost to herself, her eyes fixing on a point past the flowers that seemed to be invisible to Rey. 

Studying the other woman’s face, Rey noticed the small creases between her dark brows.  
“So… if you don’t mind me asking,” She scrabbled for the right words. She couldn’t find them. “What is between you and Captain Phasma?”

Siv’s wide earthen eyes snapped to Rey’s. They traced her face for a moment. Rey couldn’t tell whether they were surprised or calculating.  
“I’ll tell you if you tell me of the relationship you have with his highness.”

For a moment Rey was struck dumb. How was she meant to respond to that? From the heat once again creeping up her face, she had already given Siv an answer. Rey tensed.  
When a smile appeared on Siv’s face, Rey relaxed. “Don’t worry my lady, it is not to my liking to spread gossip.” 

Rey’s head dropped, embarrassment colouring her cheeks further. 

“I think,” Rey said, “You know as much as I do about Ren and I’s relationship.” She smiled a little sadly at the other girl. It was the truth; Rey could not think of two interactions with Ren that held any similarities in their friendliness or hostility. The more she thought about it, the less any of it made logical sense.

But then, why did it feel like it made sense?

Her own feelings confused her just as much as trying to interpret Ren’s.  
Siv’s smile widened, pearly teeth flashing. “I doubt that, you seem… very close.”

Rey noticed her eyes remained sharp, despite her easy grin. 

“Well, never mind that,” Rey did not think it wise to spill her entire life to someone she had just met. “It was not for me to pry.” 

“No worries,” Siv nodded. “I must admit I was curious myself.”

Rey nodded back, her prior exhaustion creeping back. Siv seemed to notice her shoulders droop and began to move towards the door.  
After they had exchanged their farewells, through which Rey could hardly supress a few invasive yawns, she flopped bodily onto her stiff feather mattress. 

The arms of fatigue had been chased away by Siv’s surprise arrival, but even their short conversation had fed the slump she now fell into. And her simple question of the nature of hers and Ren’s relationship had sent her mind into a storm of invasive thoughts.

After a while though, even those voices faded into nothingness as sleep took her doubts from her. 

-

She was submerged under water.  


Darkness pressed in on her from all sides, purposefully concealing it’s source. She could feel them, though, their coldness and mirth at her suffering, her confusion.  


She tried to scream, to ask what they wanted, who they were.  


Something echoed through the halls, through her head. It jumped out from all directions, making her blood run cold.  


Laughter.  


Water rushed in cool droves into her mouth, down her throat, filling her up.  


It didn’t stop, reaching every part of her, sapping her warmth.  


They kept laughing.  


Soon she wasn’t Rey anymore.  


Just a vessel for the oncoming winter.  


And it would come.  


-  


Rey gasped, almost launching herself out of bed with the force of her awakening.  
The tendrils of the dream slipped away from her grasping mind, but she shivered from an icy chill that wasn’t there. She was sweating, in fact.  


Her feet met the stone floor gratefully as she crossed to her window, walking off the panic that remained.  


She had really needed that sleep, the high position of the sun suggesting she had been out for much longer than usual. It was decently sunny, for once, the warmth reaching Rey through her window and making her feel that little bit more alive.  


The clear, deep blue of the lake stared back at her. She knew what she wanted to do that day.  


Ignoring the chainmail that had fallen from the side of her bed, she rummaged in the chest of draws that crouched opposite her bed. She had stored the dresses provided by the castle (by Siv, she added thoughtfully) in it, feeling more secure with a small hoard of things, even if she wasn’t sure the gowns were definitively hers now.  


She selected a lightweight blue gown with short sleeves that she hadn’t yet worn. It caught her eye as it was a lighter shade that more resembled a summer sky than the midnight lake. Everyone around here seemed very biased towards wearing darker colours, and she was growing tired of it.  


Leaving her room, Rey grabbed her basket, still neatly sat on the windowsill.  
She was not attending training today.  


-  


Siv had spoken true about the lack of flowers, Rey grumbled to herself.  


She had walked through the grounds plenty before, but now that she was actively looking, she couldn’t believe that here was not a single bloom in the entirety of the castle’s gardens. Could they even be called gardens if they didn’t have flowers?  


Judging by the suns position, she guessed she could not have been looking for more than an hour. Still, she was already late when she woke up. She took another glance around.  
Nothing. Not a soul in sight.  


Huffing, she tried to think. Her plan wasn't the strongest, but she couldn't think of a better one.  
Looking at her feet, decidedly bare in the soft, thick grass, she couldn’t even spot a daisy. By the Force, did they purposefully rip up every single interesting plant in the whole city?  


Rey would appreciate even a single daisy right now. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the smell of the outside. The stone and the rocky terrain had already cut her off from Jakku, just a small reminder that it was spring would heal her soul.  


Then, she felt it. The same weirdly knowing feeling that she had felt in her room yesterday.  


Smiling she opened her eyes to look up at him. But not before she glimpsed a flash of white and yellow amongst the green. A tiny daisy that had not been there seconds before.  


Ren walked towards her. His dark silhouette a void cut between the wildlife of his kingdom. Rey thought back to when she had first seen him, storming from between the trees with his Knights like they were the harbingers of death. She was not afraid of him anymore.  


He wore his helmet, which did not please her, but they were going to have this conversation either way. His face would only distract her anyways.  
Force, his face…  


Not the time, Rey, not the time.  


His boots took swift stomping strides towards her. She waited.  


“Where were you?” His voice came out in the low muffled growl she had expected.  


“In my room,” She replied. “Then, I came out to pick some flowers.”  
She frowned at her empty basket. “I tried to, anyway.”  


He stopped a good length away from her. Rey could imagine the crease in his brow.  
After a long pause, he spoke. “I… That is no excuse to miss training without informing me.”  


“I have a very valid reason to be here.”  


“You would make me wait-“  


“It was the only way I could get you to talk to me,” She snapped. “My Prince.”  
The hiss in those final two words came unbidden.  


“During training, you will not talk to me. You always rush off immediately afterwards.”  
He said nothing, standing stock still.  


“I need to talk about this.” Rey’s voice wavered.  


Unfamiliar birds chirped somewhere off in the trees.  


“There is nothing to talk about.” Ren’s tone held no space for disagreement. Rey was damned if she could not make any space.  


“What happened yesterday then?” Her tone was gentle. This would not be an easy conversation to make him have.  


He fixed the cavernous eye slit of his helmet on her face. She longed to read his features.  


“Nothing.” He turned.  


Oh, absolutely not.  


Rey ran towards him, abandoning her basket to place herself between Ren and the castle.  
He ignored her, not even growling a response. He tried to sidestep her.  
Rey desperately lunged for his wrist.  


Her fingers met his skin between the cuff of his sleeve and the edge of his glove. She almost felt that she had been burned. It was a feeling she would chase to the ends of the earth in that moment.  


Ren stopped in his tracks. He seemed to almost subconsciously lean towards her.  


Rey’s mind flashed to his hands on her face, her neck, her hands in his hair.  


His lips on hers.  


She breathed in his scent once more. She heard his breath hitch. Rey couldn’t think of a single thing more attractive than that sound.  
“Don’t tell me that is nothing.” Rey could hardly keep the plea out of her voice as she tried not to drift any closer to him. He was irresistible, but she needed some kind of clarification.  


His gloved hand gently pulled itself from her grasp and traced delicately over her hand.  


A deep breath whistled out from under his helmet.  


“There are flowers in the forest.”  


What?  


Rey’s hand dropped to her side as she tilted her head in confusion.  


He had stepped away and bent on one knee to pick up her basket. It looked tiny in his hands.  


Oh.  


She fell into step with the Prince as he started towards a gate in the large wall that surrounded the castle grounds.  


They walked side by side as the trees swallowed them.


	15. Fan The Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Thank you for being so patient, school has been crazy, but I'm really proud of how this chapter turned out and I'm amping up the plot from here on, so get ready!  
> Thank you so much for reading, any feedback is greatly appreciated, it really makes my day!! 
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxxx

Rey breathed in the smells of pine, wet earth and greenery as they were enveloped by the forest. It was a different type of castle, made out of wood and life instead of dead stone. 

Ren stepped carefully through the tangle of foliage, his steps soft despite the heavy boots he always wore. 

He had probably trained to do that for stealth in battle, Rey thought. 

“So,” Ren paused to cough, his voice hoarse from the silence. Rey smiled to herself. “You wanted to talk?”

His deadpan tone made it sound more of a statement than a question.

“You didn’t?” Rey turned to him. 

His helmet turned minutely, but he kept walking. Rey waited. Like this, he resembled more the terrifying creature in the forest, but she was not fooled. Each little sign of humanity was all the reminder she needed.

“I… I do not know what you want to discuss.”

“Ren, surely…” How could she approach this? He was obviously not very comfortable. Neither was she. As much as she needed clarification, she had never engaged in something like this and didn’t know exactly how they were meant to proceed. Or whether he wanted to proceed. 

“I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday.”

Ren seemed to somehow grow more rigid. 

“You are more persistent than I thought you’d be.”

Rey’s brow creased. “What do you mean by that?” 

“You are different from what I saw,” He seemed to search for the words. “The visions.” 

Rey thought back to his chambers, where she had taken his hand and seen… things. 

“You had visions of me?” That entire conversation they had, she had just accepted it, but it had seemed like he knew more than he had revealed.   
“What did you see?” 

There was a long pause before he answered. They walked side by side between the trees and ferns that grew thickly on either side of their path.  
“I saw you. And your potential.”

How vague. 

“When I touched your hand back in you your chambers, I felt a power.” 

His helmet suddenly turned sharply. “What do you mean?”

“You would think someone so adverse to giving straight answers would be less prying themselves.” Rey grumbled.

He gave a grunt and turned back to face his front. Rey had a strong feeling that he had rolled his eyes. She answered his question anyway.  
“It was as if I could do anything. There was no doubt, just a fire.”

He nods, silent.

Lifting his head, he looked around at the trees. 

Did he spot something? Rey froze.

“What-“

“Come this way.”

Ren beckoned her towards the brush to the right of their path. 

“Is something wrong?” Rey tossed her head as she looked in all directions. 

“No. Just come.”

Fixing her eyes back on the void of his helmet, she realised he was only looking at her, waiting. There was nothing wrong. She nodded and followed.

Turning, he began stomping through the undergrowth, flattening small plants and batting away branches that haggled him.

Rey cursed at her choice of clothing as she followed. She had to lift her skirts well above the knee to prevent them from ripping; she looked ridiculous.

Looking at Ren’s back, now a few metres ahead of her, he looked like a force of nature. Nothing seemed to slow him down, his long legs easily hurdling a huge fallen trunk that Rey could barely scramble over. 

It was good, though, being back in nature. The buds of spring were present here, and nothing was still for even a moment. It was pure life.

After several minutes of fighting through clawing ferns, a glade opened up with no warning at all.

“I come here to think when the castle becomes too much.”

Ren crossed to a set of stones that jutted from the ground, steps easy, relaxed.

As Rey approached the stones, she felt a shudder in the air around her. They stood rather randomly around the glade; their pale grey almost glowing in the dim light that barely made its way through the thick barrier of evergreens.  
“What is this place?” 

He stood near one of the stones, placing a hand on the smooth, vague shape the rose taller than him. 

He removed his helmet. 

Rey felt like she had released a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. The sight of his face among the glistening stones was ethereal. 

“Ren,”

His dark eyes found hers and she could remember what she had meant to say. She could never tire of his features, each time she saw them in a new light she had to study them all over again. 

“Kylo.”

“What?” She barely managed a whisper, blushing a little at how she must have sounded. Rey had slowly approached him and now stood in the shadow of a towering stone. 

The corners of his mouth pull into a small smile. “Never mind.”

He stepped to the centre of the stones, brushing his fingers across them. “Sit with me.”

The stones seemed to pull her in, a presence similar to what she felt at the lake emanating from each. She did as Ren had said, both of them sitting crossed legged across from each other.

Ren put out a hand.

Rey cocked her head.

“You are not getting away with training that easily.” His rare playful tone made her smile. She was nervous though.

“Are you teaching me about the Force?” 

He must have heard it in her voice, a crease appearing between his brows. “Yes. You need to control it. Use it purposefully.” 

When she still didn’t take his hand, he dropped it. “I thought you wanted this?” 

“What even is it? I don’t want to walk into something I don’t understand.” As hypocritical as that was, coming to Hades with him in the first place was exactly that. 

He looked away, at the trees and the light that streamed through the branches above their heads. When he again met her eyes, his face was relaxed, lines disappearing and softness in his gaze.

“It is everything. It flows through all objects, connecting us.” He holds out his hand again. “We are sensitive to it; we can feel it’s flow.”

Rey looked from his hand to his face. She had taken his hand before, not knowing what she was agreeing to. She felt she knew no more about what he wanted from her than she did that day, but spending time with him had made it clear that what she wanted was him. 

If the Force did connect everything, maybe it would bring them closer. 

First, she took a breath. Then, she took his hand. 

“Close your eyes, and just breathe.”

She did, focusing on the warmth of his rough hand. It was large enough to engulf hers completely, and still ignited the feeling of butterflies she thought it always would. She hoped it would.

“Feel outwards with your mind. Try to reach for your surroundings. The stones.”

She tried to replicate the feeling from the lake. Reaching, groping through the dark. 

For a while they sat in silence, she couldn’t find anything. She kept pushing though, not sure that what she was doing was right but knowing that it had yielded results at the lake.

Then it was there. A light in the nothingness. It was different from the lake; smaller, but brighter somehow.

“There’s something.” Rey gasped, her hand tightening as she probed cautiously with her mind.

“Go to it.” His voice rumbled through her. 

She made contact, and was filled with the strange energy. It was so familiar, so warm and calm.

She didn’t need to think, it was so natural, like a balance had been corrected inside her very being.

Opening her eyes, she found Ren’s staring back at her. 

“It’s beautiful.” 

His lips parted, and Rey could not look away. 

“I know.”   
He leaned forwards and touched her temple with his free hand.

She immediately received a stream of thought that bowled her over. Countless flows of energy pooled into one, she could feel the trees, the air, the grass, the birds, the clouds high above them. She was aware of everything. 

But it was somehow different. Rather than simply feeling and feeding off of each presence, she could feel a reverse pull. The energy could be turned, used against it’s owner.   
It didn’t feel quite right.

She came too with a gasp. Ren removed his fingers from her head.

She could still feel the presence of the stones, and did not have to put in as much effort to find them anymore, but the rest were gone for now, just faded feelings.

“Is that what you feel?” She only had to whisper. She had leaned in close without realising, close enough to feel the heat that always seemed to emanate from his body.

He nodded in confirmation, eyes tracing over her features. When Rey softly laughed, he narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“You are really good at avoiding my questions.” A grin coloured her words. Her original purpose for meeting him had been completely forgotten.

A tug at his own lips appeared as he realised what she meant. He leaned back and rubbed his neck sheepishly. “I didn’t know how to answer.” 

She watched him and knew this was the truth. Neither of them knew what they were doing, and was that so wrong? What was the point of getting caught up in fears of scandal? It seemed to her that the most important thing was what she saw in front of her. And all she saw was him.

She laced their fingers where their hands were still joined. Ren stroked a thumb over hers, almost absentmindedly, as she watched him watch their hands. 

Then he looked up. She was sure Ren saw everything in her face that second.

Putting a hand to her cheek, he leaned in and kissed her.

There was no urgency this time, just an understanding that felt better than anything Rey had ever felt.

She pulled her hand from his to hold his face with both. 

It felt so perfect, surrounded by life, where she could feel the comfort of the stones replenishing her.

And she was with him. 

She never wanted it to end. 

Eventually they stopped, to rest and breathe each other’s air. Their foreheads met, and the comfortable silence fell like a blanket. 

After a few minutes, Ren spoke.

“Rey, look.” 

The sound of her name on his tongue made her heart skip a beat. She opened her eyes and pulled away from him, to see they were surrounded by flowers. 

-

They had to go back to the castle at some point. 

Rey did not know how long they had sat together, but as the trees thinned closer to the grounds of the castle, she saw the sun was significantly lower in the sky.

Back on the path they started on, they again walked side by side. Rey looked down at her basket pleased, she had gathered a small bunch of the flowers she had grown. A sort of pride had also bloomed in her chest. 

Ren walked with his helmet at his side, glancing at Rey every so often when he thought she wouldn't notice. She secretly hoped he had left the helmet off for her benefit.

The evergreens continued to thin, and soon the castle was in sight. Would they go back to swordplay once they were back, or was training done for the day? 

Rey’s thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of shouts. She turned to Ren but he was already away, running with an impressive speed. She followed, not quite catching up due to the weight of her skirts. Even lifted, they caught and tore on the unyielding branches that clawed at her, but she paid no mind.

The mixture of yelling voices got louder and louder until they broke the treeline and were faced with what seemed to be the entire castle running around in a frenzy. 

Horses were being prepped, knights donned armour and courtiers chattered in harried voices in the fray, Rey didn’t know where to look. 

Ren kept striding forwards, hair whipping in the wind as he surveyed the disarray. At last, Hux emerged from the chaos looking pleased, a smug smile on his face. He seemed to be jotting things down on a large wad of paper as he went.

“The first Lords are here with their forces, more are due to arrive in the coming days,” Hux ignored Rey completely as he closed in on Ren. “We shall be ready to march in a fortnight.”

“March?” Rey’s eyes darted between Hux and Ren, what was going on? 

Hux regarded her coldly, but a humour slunk into his features in a similarly unpleasant way as he looked between her and Ren. “You haven’t told her.” 

He sneered at Ren. “Is she even of any use to us?”

“I don’t know what you’re implying.” Rey growled. She did not like this man one bit, but Ren’s silence was even more troubling. 

“Get your pet under control, we don’t have time for this.” Hux spat, swiftly marching back to bark orders at the courtiers before Rey could react to his insult. But she didn't even think of it.

“Ren?” Rey tried to keep the waver from her voice. She didn’t want to believe any of the possible explanations for what Hux had said. All of them were too horrible to consider. Not after how things had just felt with him.

He didn’t say anything. She walked around him so he could not avoid her eyes. 

“What… what was he talking about?” She couldn’t stop her voice from trembling. She wanted to hear what explanation she had. She needed him to tell her everything was fine, to hold her and tell her that Hux was speaking nonsense. 

He didn't. 

“We are marching on the Empire.” No. No no no no no.

Rey took a shaky breath. She asked the question she did not want to know the answer to.

“Why did you bring me here?”


	16. Turbulent Waters

She couldn’t hear the busy sounds of the castle anymore. Ren’s silence was louder.

“Why am I here?” She repeated, not bearing to think of anything until he had a chance to explain himself. To explain everything away until it was gone. 

That hope was crumbling every second he stood in silence. The clouds above in the dimming evening sky darkened to a stormy grey.

“I took you from the forest because of your Force sensitivity.”

She couldn’t move. She didn’t dare speak, she needed him to keep talking, to redeem himself. 

So that she could still love him.

After the heaviest, longest pause in the world, he turned around. 

“I took you because I thought you could be trained to fight with us. We need powerful Force users, any advantage we can get.”

His face was turbulent, she didn’t know what it said. One minute angry, another like he was about to cry, and still another he seemed completely calm. 

“Fight who?” Rey heard the words leave her mouth from a distance, she already felt she knew.

“The Empire.”  
He kept talking then, about how they were terrorising his borders, taxing them to starvation, planning to usurp him, but Rey felt that she was hearing him through a barrier of water. None of his words hit her, just bounced away, meaningless. 

The sky began to spit tiny droplets of water that hit her face as she stood there, her mind trying to comprehend what she was hearing.

“So, I’m just a tool in your war?” 

Her eyes found his again and he stopped. A flush was building on his cheeks, and he finally had the decency to look unsettled, even panicked. His toy was faulty. The thought made her feel sick.

“No,” He tried to step towards her but Rey stepped back. “Maybe at first, but everything changed.”

His eyes searched hers. How dare he.

“Surely you felt that?”

She started shaking her head, slowly, deliberately. He was not playing on her emotions this time. Not like he had been doing since the start. He had noticed her, stolen her, groomed her, made her think she was fucking special. Fat drops of rain hit her, the drizzle quickly progressing to a drenching shower.

“You are a liar,” She stated it without raising her voice or letting it waver, but the simmering rage was thinly masked. “I believed you, and you lied to me.” 

Now he was shaking his head, much more vigorously than she was. “No, please-“

“Don’t.” Rey began walking. 

Ren started after her, a hand reaching out for hers.

“DON’T!”

She whirled to face him, her calm cracking to splinters as she shoved as hard as she could at his chest.

He flew backwards, far past the bounds of what should have been possible with her strength and his weight. He hit the ground hard several meters away, grunting as he rolled to save his bones from breaking on the wet ground.

Ren looked up in disbelief, but Rey was staring at her hands. There was no way. Her palms blurred at the edges as her vision clouded with rain, or was it tears? What had she become?

Her eyes caught on Ren as he moved to get up.

“You,” Tears broke free from her eyes, but it felt like they were sizzled away by the heat of her anger almost immediately. “You’ve made me into a weapon.”

He sat there, his face a wash of emotion, and Rey felt a clawing urge to rip at him with her hands until he was just shreds. How dare he look so small? So innocent? Did he think she was an idiot? 

She took a step towards him, a snarl forming in her throat as she bared her teeth, before catching herself. 

She had been so certain, so convinced that she would kill him right there. 

He was in her head. 

The tears came in a new wave. 

He was still staring, not getting up, not moving towards her, just looking so heartbreakingly sad and scared, hunched over on the ground, getting more soaked by the second. 

It hurt to look at, knowing that but an hour ago she would have knelt by him, pulled him into her arms and kissed his cheek. 

She still wanted to. 

It burned in her face, her throat, and her chest. He had ruined her. The rumours about his kingdom were all true.

She was a weapon, he had succeeded. She had just proved that to him and herself.

So, she ran. 

The servant, stable boys and courtiers she ran past looked at her queerly, but she didn’t stop. Not even when she neared one of Ren’s knights. He turned as soon as she got within 20 metres of the armoury where he stood, but she didn’t give him time to react. She kept running.

Eventually she spotted the stables. A long line of horses was being prepped for battle, the black and red armour unmistakably intimidating and bulky even through the heavy rain as stable hands and squires strapped the horses in. 

There was no time to waste, Ren could be right on her heels, and who knows how far he would go to keep her there. 

Her heart ached at the thought, she still wanted to return to the warmth his arms.

The red around her vision returned as she turned her anger inwards. She was a fool, a stupid child. 

Supplies were being loaded into carts in the courtyard, feeding an army would be no small task. Rey headed for the closest one and started grabbing dried meats, fruits, and anything that would last. 

She might have to run for weeks, or, if worst comes to worst, find somewhere to hide. How could she outrun the knights? What if she got trapped-?

“Hey! What are you-“ Rey gasped as a hand landed heavily on her shoulder, expecting the cruel kiss of steel. The hand suddenly left, as quickly as it had come, along with a frightened shout.

Turning, panic blowing out her pupils as her eyes darted.

A man wearing a rough, worn apron lay sprawled in the mud, several yards away, mimicking the fear that she felt plastered on her own face.

Oh Force. Everyone around her had stopped and stared, regardless of the rain, with that same terror copied again and again on every face. Someone helped the man up, and he limped away, not daring to turn his back on her.

She saw Siv’s face in that crowd, holding a pile of woollen blankets. Her large brown eyes looked so different scared. 

Rey felt her breath getting shallower. She had to go. She had to leave. 

She couldn’t hurt anyone else. 

The crowd parted as she stepped forwards. Rey couldn’t meet their gaze as she ran back towards the stables, taking care not to slip. 

She spotted a dappled grey mare that hadn’t yet had it’s armour put on, only it’s bridle and a saddle fitted with several bags. It would travel quicker and be less noticeable.

The skinny squire that tended the mare backed away as soon as Rey approached, making her heart sink lower. He couldn’t have been older than 14; his features still too big for his face and utterly heart-breaking with the ruinous lines of fear cruelly carved there. 

Rey stuffed the food she had gathered into the saddlebags before mounting, wrestling her damp skirts into position as tears welled again. Surely she would run out soon.

Then she spotted Ren. He was racing through the people gathered near the armoury just beyond the courtyard, glancing at faces and glancing around corners. He was looking for her.

She spurred her horse into motion, dreading the idea of facing him again. 

She might not have the strength to leave. 

She wheeled the mare towards the gates, pounding down the cobblestones. She would have to ride out of the other side of town, the southern road rather than the road heading west that she rode in on all that time ago. 

She was not returning home to Jakku.

Turning she saw that Ren had spotted her, nearing the stables at the front of the castle with his eyes fixed on her and accompanied by a handful of Knights who seemed to be arguing with him. 

If he mounted and gave chase, she would have no chance. He had already caught her. He would train her in killing and make her fight his war, he had already gotten his claws in her.

She started to hyperventilate, spurring on her horse as fast as she dared. She was so close to the gates and their white-armoured guards, which stood open with the arrival of the realm's armies. 

She heard no hooves behind her, no one was chasing her. 

Steeling herself with a deep breath, she turned in the saddle to look. 

There she saw Ren, halfway up the cobbled path to the gate, fighting off several off his knights as they tried to hold him back from running after her.

He saw her look back and he reached out an arm.

She turned away and kept riding.

Tears rolled down her face and her ears rang as she rode through the town. 

People watched her go from the streets, pointing and muttering amongst themselves. Rey didn’t hear them though. 

Soon she was out of the city limits and in the dense forests of the realm as she rode south-west.

She was going to Corusant. 

There had to be answers there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> Thank you for being patient, I'm really enjoying where I'm going with this and I hope you are too, and don't worry there will be a happy ending after all this :) Things are getting intense with a levels, so I don't think I will be uploading a chapter for the next month or so, sorry :( As always, your kudos and comments always make my day so please don't hesitate!
> 
> Thank you!!  
>  \- Amarettobronislaw xxx


	17. Walking a Hidden Path

Rey had been riding for a few weeks now. She had almost been riding for as long as she had spent within the Finalizer. 

The seasons were changing along with her surroundings, the stark chill and stony greenery of Hades spring slowly fading into the leagues of farmland which encircled the capital of the Empire. The brisk air and downpours amongst new green buds became increasingly hot days, filled with scorched grass and fields of yellow wheat. 

She avoided villages and people in general as she made her way out of Hades, she couldn’t risk Ren’s knights being there or hearing that she had passed through. 

Sleeping rough had been difficult compared to the feather bed she had gotten used to in the castle. She even felt homesick for Jakku. More than once she had wished that she had never left her cottage, never collected those flowers, never met him. 

Pulling her head out of the clouds, she scanned the road from beneath her hood. Amongst the supplies she had taken from the castle, the black cloak was what she was most thankful for. Hiding her face and clothes made her feel a great deal safer from the knights and bandits that could be on the road.

Dust swirled around her mare’s hooves as they walked. The sun hung past it’s high through a small patch of trees nestled between some fields to her right. It would soon set, so Rey made for the trees to set up camp for the night. She dismounted to wind through them, leading her mare by her reigns.

The trees went deeper than they seemed to, and hid a small fast stream that ran north. Rey tied the reigns to a tree near the stream. Rey bent to refill her waterskin, breathing the calming smell of running water deeply. The small woods were perfect, dense enough to conceal her and supplied with drinkable water. 

Her blue gown had faded to grey, and she had ripped out the excessive layers of lace beneath the skirt to make it more movable and less insulating in the summer heat.

The less she felt like the pampered plaything of the Prince, the better. 

Rey yelped as she squeezed cold water all over her hands. With a grumble she refilled the waterskin and dried her hands on the edge of her skirt. She sat near the stream and watched it rush past. 

It felt like a long time since she had been in the castle, but thinking of Ren still sent a sweeping wave of emotion through her. The stone and the flowers stuck in her mind, along with a horrible mixture of pain and… longing. 

He had betrayed her, planned to use her as a weapon, but she still felt like they were connected. It was worse than hating him. It would be so much easier if she hated him.

She knew what she had to do though. The capital had people of all kinds, surely one of them could give her the answers Ren had refused her. 

His face appeared in her mind; skin shining with the light of the stones, eyes brimming with wonder and love. 

“Absolutely not.” Rey splashed water on her face, washing it all away. She was being ridiculous and she knew it. He did not deserve the time she spent thinking of him. 

She let the water flow over her hand, before touching the moss on the bank. She could feel it, not just by touch. She had been practicing her use of the force whenever she had time. Even if she did not understand it, she wanted to have as much control over it as possible. So far though, she was barely able to make a blade of grass grow. Whatever power she had at the castle, was now beyond her reach. Maybe that was for the best.

A cracked twig made her back stiffen. 

Turning, she spied 4 shapes in the dimming light in the woods. 

Rey slid her hand into her pocket. She hadn’t had to use the knife she kept hidden yet, and she really didn’t want to.

“Hey there, what’s a girl like you doing all alone on the road?” The closest spoke. Their dark clothing at first reminded Rey of Ren’s knights, but their distinctly shaped red helmets said otherwise. They were all armed to the teeth.

“Who are you?” Rey straightened, keeping them all within her eyeline.

They continued to creep towards her. 

“Ever heard of the Guavians?” 

Shit. His teeth flashed through his visor as he saw the recognition in her face. The Guavian Death Gang were notorious, but known to occupy a territory called the Guavian Death Region further North than even Jakku. Whatever they were doing so close to the capital couldn’t be good.

“So, you know us? Well,” He advanced. “We have heard that a certain girl is being wanted by Hades’ Prince, and you match the description perfectly.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rey moved in front of her horse protectively. “I have some food you can take, but nothing else of any value.” 

“Don’t sell yourself short, now, the Prince seems like he would be willing to pay plenty for you.”  
He’s hired bounty hunters to get her. If that was true, she was right to avoid towns, no where was safe now. 

He and his lackeys were closing in. She couldn’t take all of them, but what else could she do? Rey grabbed her knife, brandishing it before her. 

“Hey, there’s no need for that,” The man’s arms raised in a calming motion with an easy smile, but his friends continued to creep closer. “Come quietly and we won’t need to hurt you.”

Rey watched his hand go for her knife but she was already moving.

Slicing at his legs, she ducked under his grabbing arms. She tried to stab at the next-closest of her helmeted foes but he caught her hand. The leader was yelling curses behind her.

Her luck quickly ran out as another grabbed her from behind and her blade was wrenched from her grasp. There was no escape. 

With the leader limping towards her with fury in his eyes, and another trying to bind her hands as she struggled, panic took over. 

It burst out of her with a force she had not felt for weeks. The arms were gone from around her, and when she opened her eyes, the men were scattered.

She had barely caught her breath when the three uninjured Gauvians took off, yelling to each other in frightened voices. Her mare was baying, jerking around wildly, until it’s reigns finally broke and she bolted into the trees. The leader remained, trying to push himself over a log with his cut up leg, scrambling to get away.

The power continued to pulse through Rey, filling up her veins as she looked on the man that had nearly kidnapped her. 

Her knife suddenly appeared back in her hand. 

Her feet almost seemed to burn the vegetation where she stepped as she approached, causing it to coil and wither away from her. 

The Gauvian mimicked the foliage, crawling away from her, terror stricken and full of pain. 

Rey could almost smell it. Fear oozed from him. 

Her knife found his trembling throat.

No.

No, no, no.

His eyes were impossibly wide, the whites jumping out at her. She fell back, dropping her knife.

From the leaves she saw him, bleeding and alone. She had almost killed him. 

She had almost done that back at the castle. First with Ren, then with that innocent man. Now with him. 

Ren truly had succeeded. 

“I’m so sorry.”   
She tried to go to the man, but he screamed and struggled further back. Her heart seemed to break in her chest for the hundredth time. 

Rey turned to where her things had been. Her mare was gone, along with any remaining food she had. Her waterskin remained on the bank of the stream.

She had left a trail of barren foot prints on the forest floor. 

She picked up a long, sturdy tree branch, stripping the smaller branches to form a makeshift staff. She had a long way to go.

Tying the waterskin to her belt, she started towards the road. 

She had to make it to Corusant. 

She was too dangerous to be here any longer. 

-

Ren pushed his stallion on, not wanting to waste more time than he already had. 

Hux and his flittering courtiers had delayed him long enough.

He had failed her.

But he couldn’t let Rey march right into danger’s path.

Something much worse than him awaited her in the capital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all,
> 
> Sorry it took such a while to update, life's been hectic and I'm sure all of you can relate lol.  
> Really excited about getting back to this story, a little out of practice so this chapter is a little short. I will be trying out a Kylo point of view chapter, just so we'll still see what he's doing and maybe shed some light on his plans and his backstory in this au :)))))   
> I hope all of you are having a really great holiday, thank you so much for keeping up with my little story and I hope you liked the chapter!!
> 
> As always, your comments and kudos really mean a lot to me, I love to hear your thoughts!   
> Love to you all,
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxxxx


	18. Sharp Memories

\- 12 Years Ago -

The look in his uncle’s eyes matched the dangerous, alive glinting of the crystals in the sword he held. The green kyber hummed, and Ben watched his master with the fear of a child. 

It was all true. The voice. The pull.

Ben’s sword appeared in his hand a second later.

He almost killed his uncle that night. 

The burning temple roared with the screams of the children he had succeeded in killing. 

Those that hadn’t died may as well have. They stood around him with a stillness that only accompanied the dead.

He watched the flames after the deed was done. Wiping the blood from his sword with a rag torn from his stained robes, he studied the kyber crystal embedded in it’s hilt. 

It was the blue of the sky. The pulsing beneath his fingers as he gripped the hilt was foreign now. The clash of blood against the blue was not right. It had to be fixed.

The voice spoke, and he didn’t quite understand words that echoed through him. Not yet. It guided his hand, whispering. Dread pooled in his stomach.

As his fingers made contact with the crystal, a surge of sucking emptiness went up his arm, as if it were being pulled into a vacuum. The night grew darker around his fingers, engulfing him in a freezing, painful grip.

He saw faces, so many faces.

Lando.

Chewbacca.

His parents.

Luke.

Luke's face as he raised his sword above Ben’s head.

He roared in pain, clenching his eyes tightly shut as he pushed the tsunami of emotion into the crystal with a might he had never wielded under Skywalker.

He felt strength steel him, anger fuel him, hatred fill him.

But the faces didn’t stop.

His peers, his friends; frozen as they had looked while they died. 

They were only children.

Lines of fire ran down his cheeks. Regret and guilt burned his insides until there was nothing else. He heard a sharp crack past the blood rushing in his ears.

Smoke filled his nostrils, along with the stench of burning flesh. Opening his eyes, the pain had died down, but lurked in the depths of his chest. 

Removing his hand from the blade, he saw the crystal had cracked, and now shone red, brighter and angrier than the hungrily devouring flames before him. 

\- 6 Years Ago -

On the plains of Crait, Kylo Ren stood before his former master. 

His army was at his back, the resistance cornered; it would end today. 

The strange survival of the old master after a huge barrage of cannon fire and sheets of arrows unnerved him. Still, Ren would not let him win.

The old man did not respond to his mocking call. The anger reared it’s head within Kylo’s chest. Did he not think Kylo worthy of his voice? The dark-haired boy shrugged off his cloak, letting his chipped black armour shine in the stark white of the battlefield. 

Kylo drew his own sword swiftly, the heavy steel humming hungrily beneath his hand. Gripping it hard, he tried to still his shaking hand. 

His uncle’s sword hung at his side, loose in his hand. He looked just like Kylo remembered, still wearing the plain robes of his religion, dragging a slew of unwelcome memories through his mind. He channelled the emotion, forcing it outwards like his new master had taught him. It still stung.

His father’s blood was already on his blade. His uncle would face the same fate.

Luke Skywalker had stood in the way of his Empire for too long. 

Bringing up the sword to eye-level, he took one last look at the man he once revered, and he charged at his uncle, slashing with deadly precision and force. 

Skywalker danced around the attack expertly. Kylo did not relent, attacking again and again with savage anger. Again and again, he evaded Kylo’s attacks. 

The man performed a precarious back bend, whirling back around to face the Sith apprentice as he had begun to pant. He bared his teeth as the old man’s taunts bit into him with a sharp sting.

He roared with his next swing, but still the Jedi would not attack. Ren needed him to fight back, to do something. Why was he toying with him?

He turned to face the master once more, challenging him, daring him. 

Luke lowered his sword. 

The blue-kybered sword of Kylo's grandfather. 

The old man was a fool. 

Gritting his teeth, Kylo ran at him, sword raised to strike.

With a huge swing, the blade sliced through his uncle’s torso. 

He remained standing. Unharmed. 

No.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he felt the man’s lifeforce continue to pulse. Walking forwards, Kylo impaled the man on his red-hilted sword. The blood that should have escaped was missing, there wasn’t even the resistance of flesh and bone beneath the blade. He reached out with his mind. The projection was connected by a thread to somewhere far away.

No. No. No. NO.

With a final sad smile, his uncle faded away into air. 

He was never here. 

NO NO NO NO NO-

Turning towards the base he reached out frantically, but it was too late.

The resistance was gone.

He had failed.

\- 4 Years Ago -

His life fell apart in the throne room of the new Emperor.

He was knelt at the bottom of the polished red stone steps that led to the throne, rather than at his Master’s side like normal. 

Phasma, clad in her chromed armour, knelt to his left. Hux, seething with poorly contained rage in his Admiral’s dress, knelt to his right. 

All eyes were on the lined face of their Emperor. The words he spoke in his soft but leering voice fell like paralysing blows on his military leaders’ ears. 

Two weeks ago, they had completed their New Empire. 

And now they were being banished from it.

Upon the dais stood a neat line of the descendants of Imperial houses, clad in shimmering fabrics, jewels and upturned noses inherited from their Old Empire roots. The children and grandchildren of Imperial heroes. These were to be the new leaders of the Empire. 

There was no longer room for the bastard son of a dead commandant, a harsh warrior from some backwater village, nor the broken toy that failed to end the resistance. Not even when they had won him his Kingdom.

The Emperor removed his hood as he stood to give the final order. 

The pinched look on the face of the old man was a good enough imitation of regret and fairmindedness to fool his new courtiers, but Kylo knew his Master better. 

“For the violence and bloodshed you have brought upon the realms, you will be stripped of your rank and military forces and assigned to the realm of Hades, to serve the best interests of the Empire.” His creased brow made his kingly expression almost look genuine.

It was so well planned; Kylo had walked straight into it. He stared at the floor numbly. It would have been better if the Emperor had them executed, then he wouldn’t feel the mocking glares of the Lords and Ladies above him.

They had won him an empire, and now he was removing them from underfoot.

With a word and a wave of a hand, they were dismissed. Standing, Phasma marched stiffly out of the room, followed by Hux who was muttering under his breath, red faced.

Kylo stood, and waited for the last of the Imperial heirs to leave. Until it was just him and the Emperor.

“Was anything you said true?” He was surprised he could keep his voice steady. 

The man’s solemn expression crept into a vicious smile. 

“Your weakness is the same as your grandfather’s,” He waved his hand as if his concerns were of little importance. “Your pain made you useful, but you could never embrace your true power. The Sith have no further use for you as a warrior.”

Kylo stood completely rigid, breathing as measuredly as he could to keep his emotions in check.

“Then why not kill me?” It was a stupid thing to say. 

The sneer on the Emperor’s face showed he agreed. “You are not yet completely useless to me.”

He didn’t understand, but the older man already seemed bored of the conversation. “Be grateful I did not have you executed and get out of my sight.”

A bright flash of anger seared through him and he stepped forwards, but the heat of anger was sharply diminished as immobilising cold took hold of him.

His limbs seized and he was jerked into the air, feeling as though ice was freezing every single muscle in his body, engulfing him. He felt like throwing up, nausea and despair coursing through him.

Grimacing with the effort of not crying out, Kylo looked up. The Emperor had one arm stretched lazily out before him. A low cackle began in the man’s throat and grew, transforming Ren’s mentor and master into an unrecognisable creature. 

It was still the same man though. Kylo was just an idiot to have never seen it before.

For a second, in his pain, he could have sworn that the older man’s eyes flashed yellow.

The Sith walked down the steps, drawing out Kylo’s imprisonment until he stood barely an inch from his apprentice’s face. Kylo could see every detail of the sickly pallor of his lined skin.

“My grandfather’s demise was at the hands of yours.” 

With a flick of his wrist Kylo was slammed into a stone pillar, a sickening crunch in his shoulder making him grunt as he fell to a crumpled heap on the floor.

“It seems fitting that the rise of his line should be caused by their descendants.”

As he fled the throne room, he did not spare a single glance for Emperor Palpatine. 

The echo of his laughter in Ren’s skull was enough incentive for him to keep running.

\- Present Day -

Ren pushed through the doors of the inn gently. He kept his head down beneath the wide hood of his cloak, but his eyes darted around the faces of other patrons as he entered.

None of them spared him a second glance, the clashing noises and snatches of conversation continuing uninterrupted. He spied the bar near the back of the busy establishment and headed towards it.

Taking a seat, his hand drifted to his face subconsciously. The helmet was more recognisable than his features, but it did not make him any more comfortable with discarding it. Soon, he caught the eye of the very short barmaid, who nodded at him with a friendly smile from across the inn, arms laden with tankards as she bustled through the crowd.

The taverns were becoming busier as he neared the capital, and still no word of Rey. Even with the head start his courtiers has given her by slowing him down, he had been riding day and night. That he hadn’t seen her was rather worrying.

The castle had been completely in uproar when he left. Hux had tried to stop him from leaving, along with the Lords of Hades that had gathered their armies for him, who were insulted at his sudden need to take leave. He may come back to find that they had all left and their cause was lost.

He had a responsibility, however. 

“And what can I get you?” The barmaid had appeared, peering up at him through a pair of incredibly thick glasses from across the bar. She did not seem to stand still, her hands constantly busy with tankards and dishcloths.

“I’m looking for someone.” Ren keep his eyes darting around the room. He did not want to linger long in such a crowded space. He had to get going. “A girl. Brown hair, travelling alone.”

The woman gave a slow huff of breath. “Lots of people pass through here. Some more interesting than others.”

Ren looked up to see she had stopped moving, a half-cleaned tankard resting, forgotten, in her hands, which lay on the table. She had turned towards him, and her eyes caught him dead on in their glare. He did not like the recognition he saw there. Nor the curiosity.

Abruptly standing, Ren turned to the door. He had only made it a few steps before the woman spoke up again.

“I know the girl you speak of.” 

He stopped in his tracks. A few patrons had noticed their conversation now. 

Leaving would get him out of the way of the prying eyes in the inn, and the barmaid’s knowing look unnerved him. Taking a measured breath out through the nose, he turned back around. He needed information; any information.

He slowly walked back to his seat at the bar, holding her gaze. Her bow was creased beneath her head covering and behind her thick glasses. They should have obscured her face, but they were so large that they created the impression that her eyes could see all the way through him. She looked slightly… sad.

“Who are you?”

Ren tried to maintain the expression of hard impassiveness on his face. But a strange sense of familiarity was tugging at a thread in the back of his mind. And if she knew about Rey…

The slight curve of her lips did nothing to calm his nerves. “Maz Kanata.”

Recognition twinged painfully in a part of his memory he did not want to touch today. He couldn’t place her exactly, but he knew who she was associated with.

“A pleasure to finally meet you, Ben Solo.”

His breathing, which he realised had been speeding up considerably, suddenly halted in his chest.

“Ben Solo is dead.” 

He had said those words before, in another world, with all the venom of his past ingrained within each syllable. This time, all his voice carried was softness.

He had killed Ben Solo, and he had never regretted anything more. 

“Your mother does not think so.” 

Kylo Ren gritted his teeth. Maz’s soft look of pity and hope was more than he could bare. His chest tightened as he struggled breathe to normally. This time when he turned to leave, he managed it. The summer night was not at all cold compared to Hades’ constant chill, but still his hands shook like a child’s. 

Taking deep breaths, the smell of pollen and earth filled him. His mind drifted to Rey’s flowers.

“Wait!” Maz’s voice broke the still air. Her voice came from behind him. He halted in place, but he could not turn to face her. 

For a moment all he could hear was the sounds of their breathing. He focused on it, rather than the swirling thoughts battering his mind.

Finally, she spoke; “The girl, she is important.”

His brow creased, but he dared not ask what she meant. He couldn’t trust his voice, nor find the words.

“She passed by a few days ago. She will make it to the Capital soon. You have to go to her, or she is lost.”

Kylo already knew. Turning his head, he saw that Maz was gone. 

Taking long strides, he crossed to where his horse was tied and swiftly mounted, his calm returning and his purpose renewed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little late, but I tried something new with this chapter that I really hope works. Writing from Kylo's perspective was different and fun, I really wanted to show where he is in his story and how different this Kylo is from film Kylo. And I know, I fucking hated how they brought back Palpatine in tRoS buuuuuut I'm going somewhere with this don't worry!
> 
> Anyways, I really hope you liked this chapter! Thank you sooooo sosososo much to everyone who is reading, your comments and kudos make my day every time!! Any criticism/questions are welcome, I'd love to hear what you think!
> 
> Edit: I realised I forgot this was a medieval au for a minute while writing this oops so if u read this before I corrected it, no u didn’t lol
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxx


	19. New Faces

Rey’s eyelids kept drifting shut as she walked, feeling heavier by the minute. Loosing her horse had taken a greater toll than she had expected, and several days later, everything hurt. 

With the rapid increase in villages between the ever shrinking patches of farmland, Rey guessed that she was only a couple days' ride away from the capital when the Gauvians had shown up. On top of the delay, Rey was unsettled by the removal of the safety blanket that was the swift transport of the horse. It seemed to finally set in that she really was on her own. 

She really did not like the idea of anyone catching up with her now she had gotten this close. Each time she stopped all she could think was that she might not be as lucky as she had been so far. As a result, she had barely taken a break from walking in days. Her feet were blistered in the soft slippers that had almost worn through. She had picked up a large stick to lean on, but it was still hard going in the heat of the summer. 

Her last couple hours of sleep had been at least a whole day ago, but even when she gave in and got some shut eye, paranoia woke her pretty quickly. That, and something else she didn’t want to confront. 

Ren had been appearing in her dreams almost every time she closed her eyes. It was worse than her fatigue and sore limbs. She had put up with hunger all her life, but this… homesickness for him was another beast entirely. Her face twisted into a grimace at the thought; she had known him for less time she had been on the road, and she missed him more than she had ever missed her actual home in Jakku. Revulsion crept up her throat, more at her hopeless longing than anything else.

The cottage she had abandoned felt another world away, and still Rey held no remorse for it’s simple comfort and safety. Being tucked away in her bed would certainly be welcome, but, as she had established back at the castle, it was not her home anymore. 

Maybe if she went back, she could make amends with the Plutts and live a normal life again. She could go back to picking flowers and baking bread, ignoring the world Ren had introduced her to.

That was the thing. She couldn’t ignore it. The excitement of sparring, the grandiose of the palace and the soothing cool of the mountain weather. Even as she walked, she could feel the scorched grass in the ground below her, a strange connection that had become more and more familiar as she practiced reaching for it. It was intoxicating, but a heavy blanket of fear accompanied it.

Faces flashed before her eyes; the man sprawled in the dirt at the castle, the Gauvian crawling frantically over foliage, Prince Ren lying in the rain. 

She tried, unsuccessfully, to shake them out of her head. Looking around warily, she was glad no one else was on the road to see her twitching like this. Rey knew she needed a break or she might not recover once she had gotten… wherever it was she was going. 

Ren lingered, his dark curls and his warm smell. She hated how well she remembered it all. The weeks she had spent alone would have been easier if she did not want to go straight back to him after what he did, it was still a painful wound. Rey had never harboured such a resentment towards her own feelings.

Stifling a yawn, she let her eyes close for a second. Thoughts of him could wait. She wasn't going back. Off the road, she would be safer, she could rest and think through her plan. Thinking about it, did she even have a plan? 

“Um, hello?”

Rey gasped as her eyes snapped open. Her walking stick came up in defence as she blinked rapidly, the sun dazzling her for a long second. 

Three figures came into focus before her, two men and a woman, all looking at her with some concern. The words had come from the woman, who was quite a bit shorter than Rey, with dark hair framing her warm-beige skin and worried eyes. 

“Are you alright?” Rey blinked at her again, not sure how to respond. To the woman’s left was a man with curly brown hair and a much more suspicious expression, which was understandable with how crazy Rey imagined she looked. The other man seemed more aligned with the woman as he looked Rey up and down, his kind eyes calming her a little. 

Realising she had spent at least a minute just staring at these people, Rey stammered: “Oh, um, I’m fine thank you.”

The trio did not seem convinced, keeping their distance and sharing a look. 

Rey was unsure herself, but didn't want to raise suspicion any more than she had already. 

“Er.. can I help you?” She tried, hoping to the Force that they were not more bounty hunters.

The man with the kind eyes and deep brown skin stepped forwards first. His worn leather doublet and black shirt gave her no indication of their wealth or intentions, but so far, they seemed harmless enough. “You might be able to.”

When Rey didn’t respond, he continued, looking to the other two for help. “I’m Finn. This is Rose and Poe.”

Rose gave a little wave with a smile, and Poe inclined his head, leaving his arms crossed defensively over his chest. Rey thought about giving a fake name, but didn’t trust herself to lie convincingly, so simply nodded her head. They looked at her awkwardly for a second before it was clear she wasn't giving them her name. 

“Way to pick em, Finn, we’ve really got a talker here.” Poe mumbled, earning a glare from Rose. 

Rose rolled her eyes. “What he means to say is, we saw you were coming from the North and wondered if you had any news from Hades?” 

Rey tensed. “What do you mean by that?” 

The pair shared another glance. Rey’s chest tightened; this was not a good sign. Her mind raced for explanations, each one worse than the last, and becoming more ridiculous by the second.

It was Poe who spoke this time. “There have been rumours about the Prince gathering an army. If you know anything about this, we really need to know.” 

That was way too close to home. Even if they weren’t looking for her specifically, it was dangerous territory. 

“Why do you need to know? Who are you?” Rey took a few steps back; whatever they were involved in, she did not want to get mixed up in it. Her eyes darted around the road, looking for potential escape routes. This could turn sour very quickly.

Finn raised his hands, again looking at Rose for help. “Whoa, hey, we aren’t-” 

“Look, I have somewhere I need to be, are you going to give me any trouble?” Rey said, trying to sound intimidating, but it was lost to the tired waver in her voice. She gripped her staff and hoped her fears were wrong. She did not have the strength, especially against all three of them.

Their alarmed expressions from her sudden change in tone softened into general disappointment. Finn looked away, sighing, while Poe gave him a look which clearly read as ‘I told you so’. 

Rose smiled sadly, nodding. “Alright, we’ll leave you alone.” 

Rey didn’t relax her grip, but nodded stiffly. 

“Stay safe,” Were Rose’s final words as they skirted around Rey and down the road. Rey kept the trio in her line of vision until they were far down the road, releasing a breath as they disappeared from sight. 

Relief washed over her, loosening her shoulders. She felt even more tired, her vigilance taking it’s toll. Their enquiry did not sit right with her, but their lack of aggression was all she could acknowledge. She was safe to continue. 

It wouldn’t be long now. 

-

She was right. By the time she reached the cities outer limits, the sprawling slums that surrounded the outer city walls, the sun was considerably lower in the sky. She could see the gates, towering before the very heart of the Empire and of Empires before it.

She was dead on her feet, though. She hadn't stopped since the encounter earlier that day and was tired past the point of registering her sore muscles. 

Finally, the word seemed emblazoned across her mind. She had made it. Still, she had to reach the centre, there was still a little way to go. 

Why? 

She halted. The word came out of nowhere to hit her with an unsettling amount of weight.

Why did she need to go to the centre?

It had made perfect sense; get to Coruscant, figure out what to do about her abilities. But, taking a second to actually think, it didn’t make sense. She didn’t know anyone here, especially not anyone who knows about the Force.

How on earth had she spent weeks on the road, days after days with nothing but her thoughts, and she hadn’t stopped to wonder just where this plan had come from.  
This was more than unsettling, something was wrong. 

Something had drawn her here, and she didn’t know what it’s intentions were.

She was also exhausted. A sting in her sinuses warned of tears, and her feet ached with every step. Her resolve was crumbling as she stood on the side of the road in this place she did not know. 

For the second time that day, she was jerked roughly out of her thoughts. 

“Ma’am?”

Blinking the damp out of her eyes, Rey steeled herself. Being caught unawares like that was bad enough when she wasn’t breaking down, she thought rather bitterly.

Before her stood three mounted men, heavily armed and armoured in strict formation. How had she not seen them? They certainly stood out, the shape of their armour baring resemblance to the guards of Ren’s castle, but coated with a jarring, bright red enamel. 

The closest one continued: “You are expected in the Palace. Come with us.”

Rey felt her mouth fall open. 

“I’m- I’m very sure you have the wrong person.” But even as she said the words, something told her the guards had not made a mistake. The apparent leader shook his head, his concealed features not revealing anything. Rey had an absurd flash of the day she first met Ren, the strange darkness in his helmet’s eye slit sending goosebumps down her arms. Still, the panic that should have been present was oddly distant.

She banished the memory, supressing a shudder. These men were nothing like Ren. He had felt like burning, the intensity of his presence an absence Rey had reluctantly missed. Despite their blazing armour, the guards carried an emptiness. 

The man leading gestured to the man beside him, not taking his eyes off Rey. Well, she assumed he didn’t, as his face remained tilted squarely at her. The other guard nudged his horse forward, revealing another horse he had been leading by the reigns. 

The leader swept his hand towards it in a gesture which almost seemed mocking.

“Please.” His voice betrayed no hint of amusement however, remaining deadpan. 

Rey tried to think this through, but felt her soreness growing by the second. Putting herself into the hands of random armed men in such a state of drowsiness was perhaps the worst idea she had had all day. But she had certainly done worse. The image of her naïve self as she first encountered the knights that day in the forest again forced itself into the forefront of her mind.

It was reckless, but what did she honestly have to lose at that point? Rey had lost two homes, walked miles upon miles to get somewhere without an inkling of a plan, and, honestly, she was curious. It would certainly be her undoing. 

She thought back to the unsettled feeling that had been there not minutes ago. There was definitely something off about all of this, but going with these men meant that she would probably find out exactly what that was sooner rather than later. 

She sighed, eying the crossbow gripped by the lead guard. It was loaded. She did not think she could avoid them as easily as she had the trio she had met earlier. At least, that was the reasoning she gave for nodding resignedly and climbing on the offered horse. Her overworked body sunk into the saddle immediately.

She hoped her instincts were right.

They began the journey into the city, wasting no time at all. The glimpses of ramshackle houses Rey caught from beneath her hood showed miserable women, skeletal children, and beggars on every corner. The shacks turned to more permanent-looking buildings that crowded over their heads as they neared the gates, but the hungry eyes of the people that occupied them were the same.

The walls were even larger up close, larger even than the ones that guarded the Finalizer back in Hades, which had been made with all the wealth of the jewel mines. They were more heavily guarded too, pristine white-armoured sentinels interrupted at regular intervals with red guards, identical to those who lead her. The gates opened as they approached, no order needed. She was certainly expected, and by someone important.

Rey noticed that even though the streets were crowded, the wary citizens gave the gates a wide berth, their eyes flickering towards her small entourage. And to the weapons they held.

Once they passed through, it was a completely different world.

The buildings were brick, stone and steel, rising like monoliths in organised but overwhelming streets. They further in they went, the busier it was, horses and carriages bustled too and fro, along with men and women who seemed to travel in the most extravagant dress possible. Her dresses at the Finalizer had been made of expensive, heavy fabrics, but here they wore layers upon layers of strangely cut garments, with metal head pieces and shining beads. 

The buildings grew in size as they neared the centre, and so did a weird feeling in Rey’s chest. She wasn’t imagining things; the pull to the centre had defined itself into an invisible thread. It drew her onwards, making her so sure she was going in the right direction without any reasoning at all. 

Suspicion lurked in the back of her mind as they walked between shops and market stalls, but she was too tired to properly think it through. Her eyelids were dropping as they went, and it wasn’t as if she had many other options at that point. It was unlikely this had anything to do with Ren (she absolutely was not going to acknowledge the disappointment that came with that thought) and she was really fed up of sleeping on the ground. 

Her arguments sounded poor even in her head. She needed to know, though. Whatever this was, it was the only thing keeping her moving, with nothing behind her to miss. She had to be going somewhere.

They turned a corner, and Rey’s jaw dropped for the second time that afternoon. If she had thought the previous buildings had been big, this one was unfathomable.

A curtain of gunmetal grey stone loomed, giving way to an enormous keep that seemed to go on for miles. 

As they trotted through the portcullis, the leading red trooper turned his head slightly.

"The Imperial Palace." 

Rey noted that each corner was manned by distinctive red soldiers she was getting used to seeing, still as statues. They all held that emptiness she had noticed earlier. 

Dismounting, Rey was lead through a series of halls, each larger and grander than the last, until they stopped in a small room off of the largest. 

It seemed to be a study, with a large desk positioned before a wide window. The deep red stone glinted in the sharp light of the afternoon, the hard edges of the expensive furniture softened by rich and varied hangings and pillows.

It was all Rey could do to not slide down into a plush chair and fall asleep that second. She was glad she hadn’t when a door she hadn’t noticed opened behind the desk. 

Her gaze met icy grey eyes deep set in a lined face. The man wore rich red robes that matched the stone, his striking dress softened by his smiling face and deep crow’s feet. 

Just as Rey set about trying to puzzle out who this man was, he extended a hand, approaching with a smooth grace to greet her.

“Rey is it?” His eyes flashed, keeping her attention. How could they be familiar? “I have been dying to meet you.”

She took his greeting hand carefully, tentatively feeling the smooth, warm skin that was the closest human contact she had had for weeks.

“I’m sorry but, who exactly are you?” 

He smiled even wider, the edges of his lips stretching to either side of his face.

“My name is Emperor Palpatine my dear, but you may call me uncle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo we finally got to the actual plot! Only took a really long time!! I have a lot planned for the next few chapters, I can't wait to finally put it all together! Sorry that this chapter was essentially more setting up but we needed Rey to finally get there and I tend to spend a lot of time rambling about scenery oops. I've also been doing interviews to try and get into medical school and my mind has just been replaying every mistake I made in them for about a week now, so I did not want to attempt anything too fancy this chapter.
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter, please stay tuned for everything will be going down next time and I cannot wait.
> 
> As always, lots of love to everyone staying vigilant as I write this, you make my day every time I get a comment or kudos!!!
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxx


	20. The Fall

He must have seen her pure exhaustion before she even said a word as she found herself guided gently into a soft, blanket-draped chair near the unlit hearth. Her mind was still trying to process what he had said as she practically fell into the seat. What was this? The Emperor’s name was Snoke, everyone knew that. Palpatine was the name of some long dead Sith King. Had there been a coup while she was walking here?

Thinking about it, Ren had mentioned the name before. She scrutinized him with suspicion, as he prowled around her towards the adjacent chair.  
“I thought your name was Snoke?”

His chuckle was devoid of malice, or even the dignified air she had come to expect from the high born. “Yes, the public see him as the figurehead, but within these walls the truth is known.”

He must have seen her bemused expression; he went on.

“My family has an unsavoury past which would not win the public’s affections, but it is a past that won me the allegiance of the nobility. I chose a public face that would serve until I got the stability I needed.”  
He pressed a hand to his chest in earnest apology. “Our family, I should say.”

Rey was half convinced she had started hallucinating. The Emperor was in front of her, telling her they were blood relatives. She had spent a lifetime not even letting herself imagine she had any family left, let alone any of noble blood. He looked more like someone’s stooped, kindly grandfather than the ruler of an Empire. 

He patted her hand with an understanding smile, seating himself across from her. “I know you need to rest, but you have travelled so far and deserve the truth that has been hidden from you.”

She tried to organise her thoughts, but trying to think was generating a building buzz in her head. A headache was the last thing she needed, but she was so tired all she could focus on was staying lucid. Whatever this man knew was important.

“Hidden? By whom?”

His brow creased, maybe in pity. He took a breath as if it pained him to think of.

“I assume Prince Ren mentioned his role in claiming my Empire?”

Rey nodded. Ren’s bitterness over the rule of the Empire was apparent, but it seemed more and more likely he had been hiding things from the start. Not least that he had been planning to start a war with the entire Empire, with Rey as some kind of secret weapon. A shudder of rage passed through her at the thought.

The man sighed heavily. “I had planned to rule with Ren by my side, I had trained him in the Force and felt that he was a son to me. But he was weak.  
“He planned to kill me and take the Empire for himself.” 

“I had to remove him, but instead of the death sentence he had earned I gave him Hades. I just couldn’t kill him.” He smiled sadly at Rey. “But now, after what he was planning for you, I wish I had that strength those years ago.” 

“How could any of this come back to me?” Rey struggled to understand. Ren had planned to kill this sweet old man, and for what? Was he so obsessed with power?  
Her mouth curled in disgust at her own naïve thoughts. He had proven that much already. The buzzing was steadily increasing to an ache, pain mingling with the lingering hurt of Ren’s betrayal.

Palpatine nodded sympathetically. “You see my dear, did it not seem strange that Ren chose you, of all people, to bring to his castle and entertain? How you just happened to cross paths in a place you had never been before?” 

“I thought-” She stopped herself, knowing how ridiculous she would sound. Palpatine’s look of pity only increased with her words, breeding new doubts and dreading curiosity in her mind. 

“You are the granddaughter of the first Emperor Palpatine, the daughter of my brother, and a force user beyond powerful. The Prince knew this. Ren did not only plan to use you as a weapon, I’m sad to say.”

He fixed her with a pale-eyed stare. Rey leaned forwards almost by accident, terrified by what he was about to say but absolutely unable to look away. Her breath seemed to have stopped in her chest. 

The dull throbbing in her head had grown to an almost deafening roar in her skull, but it only served to train all of her focus on Palpatine.  
The old man placed his hands on either of hers where they rested on the arms of her chair. 

“He had you parents killed when you were younger, Rey, and has been planning this you whole life.”

The words flowed into her, ringing in her ears.

“He knew he could use your heritage to force me to give up my Empire.”

The roaring grew, her head filling up with a different pain.

“He would have killed you to get to me.”

She had nothing, then he had given her everything. It was all a lie.

“He never loved you.”

The rumbling spread out of her mind. The room shook. She barely registered Palpatine rising from his seat. 

Her whole life was a plot, a ploy to win an Empire by a man she had trusted. 

She slid out of her chair to the floor, ignoring the great rattling as the furniture around her shook and shifted. The tears came thick and fast, the roiling storm of emotions spilling out around her. 

If she had thought her pain on the day she left Ren was hell, she now felt it tenfold. The emotions she had been avoiding and bottling up for weeks suddenly overwhelmed her. Parts of disjointed thoughts whirled confused, rage at the forefront. She might have been crying, or screaming, but all she could feel was a crushing, suffocating weight. Like she was drowning.

A hand on her shoulder brought her back with a hard squeeze. She could feel it, cold through her cloak against her inflamed skin.

She raised her head; shoulders shaking and face wet. 

Palpatine’s face shone pale above her, his eyes glinting, almost seeming to change colours in the dimming light.

“Join me, Rey, and you will be more. The blood of our family is stronger together, I can teach you power beyond anything you’ve seen before.”

Stepping back he raised his twisted, claw-like hands to draw his hood over his head, the lines in his face deepening. 

“This is where you belong, apprentice. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. Makes you stronger.”

The man’s pale skin seemed to glow along with his eyes, the power he spoke of seeping out into the air. 

Rey was transfixed, all rational thought out of her head. Her family, her belonging, it had called to her. It was the feeling of the lake in Hades, the dreams and the visions. She would have the strength to stop the pain, to not be the helpless victim any longer. Men like Ren wouldn't hurt her anymore. She would have true family. The thoughts wound around her mind like a vice, repeating like a mantra. 

“Please, teach me,” Her voice sounded raw and broken in her own ears. “Uncle.” 

The Emperor’s clawed hand reached out to her. She grasped it, barely noticing the slight shock of static that jumped between their hands. Rising, Rey found herself numb to the aches and blisters she had acquired on her journey. It was as though steel had filled her limbs, propelling her onwards effortlessly.

All she could feel now was the ball of anger swallowing her mind. Giving her purpose.

Family. Strength. Power.

“Come, young one.” The man smiled a crooked and yellowed smile.

“We have much to discuss.” 

Rey walked in a stupor, ending up in the largest of the huge, red-stone rooms she had passed through earlier. It might have been 5 minutes ago or an hour, Rey did not know. 

Everything had changed since then. 

Rey looked up at the grand room from beneath her cloak’s hood. Patterned windows let in the fiery light of sunset to glint off of the dark stone. Columns towered over her, reaching all the way to the ceiling which was so high she could hardly see it. 

Family. Strength. Power.

Red guards stood tall in robes and armour that completely concealed their faces, wielding weapons the same colour. They stood stone still, and Rey could almost believe they were decorative suits of armour. She could feel their lives, however, which had a similar emptiness to the troopers. 

The room itself was long and took Rey a while to walk the length of it, trailing behind the Emperor’s ponderous steps, before she reached the dais that held the throne. 

When she finally stood before it, a jolt of recognition pulsed through her. Palpatine left her at the bottom of a set of steps, making his way towards a heavy block of black stone framed by a huge circular window. The stone had been carved into a strangely shaped chair, it’s base wide and tapering at the top. 

She had seen it before. In a dream, or a vision, she couldn’t remember. She had seen it when she was back in Hades, she was sure. A sign. This was what she was meant for. Her inheritance, the Empire she had to defend.

It felt old. It wasn’t particularly battered or broken looking, but Rey got a strange sense from it, almost like the aura that came from the stones she had visited with Ren. But opposite, somehow. 

She hadn’t thought about the stones in a long time. The delicate light on the grass, making his face glow. She had never seen anything more beautiful. Then the daisies grew. Her heart ached-

No.

That was a lie.

A weakness.

She hadn't thought of them as Ren's betrayal had happened the same day. It overshadowed every moment they spent together.

Her hand moved to her face. A tear had emerged, rolling down the already dried ones from earlier. She wiped it away along with the damning thoughts, cursing her foolishness. She was stupid if she still believed that was love. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

“Niece, welcome to you birth right.”

Rey’s head snapped up to look at her uncle. He sat on the throne, seeming to take up more of the room as he looked down at her from beneath his hood. She could see the orange of the sunset in his eyes. His smile seemed darker than before, his lips paler and teeth yellowing. A trick of the light, surely.

“The Prince threatens our Empire with his treachery. It is up to us to… stop him.”

Rey sunk to a knee, gazing, transfixed, at the dais from beneath her own ragged cloak. The words came to her easily. 

Family. Strength. Power.

“I pledge myself to your teachings and to the Empire.”

His teeth flashed.  
“Good, good.”

-

Ren had almost reached the capital. 

Despite the unnerving encounter with Kanata, he had continued to stop at the taverns, hoping for word of Rey. He had been mostly unsuccessful, until an injured Guavian a few towns back told stories of a girl, travelling alone, who had possessed uncanny abilities. 

A few coins got the man to give a less fanciful version of events (Ren had found him telling a crowd of people that she had transformed into a witch and cursed his friend to become a frog), and he had been no less concerned with what he heard.

If she didn’t have a horse, she was in much more danger from thieves and would be out in the open for longer. And her force abilities…

Ren took a deep breath. He didn’t want to think about what he did. What he had been planning to do.

She had thrown 4 grown men off of their feet and almost taken a knife to one of them. Weeks ago, when he had first found her, he would have been pleased. Now he was… not. 

He dug his heels into his horse’s sides, quickening it’s trot. All he could do now was try and do something right. She wouldn’t be safe in the capital. The only saving grace was that the loss of her horse meant he might catch up with her. With regular breaks for resting, it would take her an extra few days to reach Coruscant, hopefully making up the time Ren had spent delayed at the castle. 

There was also another problem. He had heard rumours at the inns of an army marching from Hades. Hux had begun the march without him. 

Before Ren had left the castle was in chaos. 

“It’s now or never, Ren, the girl is inconsequential,” Hux had said. “In a week the whole kingdom will know-“

“Enough.” 

Hux’s look had been withering, but Ren had ignored it. He should have known the man would never listen to him. “Your attachment to the girl is getting out of hand. The Empire is our goal, in case you had forgotten.”

“I have not,” It was Ren’s turn to glare, defensive. “If Palpatine gains a force user to his arsenal we are done for.”

The words had been true, but Ren could not say they were his only motivations. His feelings were… not clear. Rey had made him feel stronger than he had in years. Since the Jedi temple, all he knew was instability. She was different. 

She could have been his chance.

The bitter taste on his tongue and the pang in his chest was immediate. There was no point dwelling on it, all he could do was get her back to her home. Word of Hux’s forces would make it more difficult to move undetected near the city, but he had to try.

She didn’t deserve the life he had pulled her into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooo it's all happening!
> 
> Sorry for the delay, I really wanted to get this chapter right and I just wasn't feeling it the first few times I tried to write it. I'm at least somewhat happy with this, but it was definitely a challenge, I might edit it a little later on as I still feel like somethings missing :/ I hope its clear that Rey is definitely an unreliable narrator in this chapter, the poor girl is tired and being heavily manipulated (in more ways than one). 
> 
> Anyways, the end in in sight! I'm very excited to write the climax in the next chapter, Rey and Ren are reunited and shit, in turn, goes down. 
> 
> I really hope you liked this chapter!! Any comments, kudos or criticism are welcome, I love hearing from u guys!!!
> 
> \- Amarettobronislaw xxx

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> This is my first work so bare with me please!  
> The time period is meant to be ambiguously medieval/edging on renaissance, think Game of Thrones, and I'm certainly not going to stick 100% to the Hades/Persephone story. The "underworld" in this instance will be called Hades, hope there isn't any confusion there.  
> I really hope you enjoy this and I'll post the next chapter soon! :)
> 
> -amarettobronislaw xx


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